Monday, August 13, 2007
Security officers arrested carrying explosive belts
Security
(Azzaman) - Two security officers have been arrested in the religious city of Karbala as they were trying to smuggle into the city explosive belts to target holy shrines, Karbala governor said. Aqeel al-Khazaali said preliminary investigations have shown that the two arrested officers were members of the Islamic Army, an armed group fighting U.S. occupation troops as well as the country’s U.S.-sponsored government.
Khazaali said the two, whose have not been identified, have admitted to committing “horrendous crimes” in the province. The arrest was made as hundreds of thousands of Iraqi Shiites began flocking to religious shrines to commemorate the death of one of their saints buried in Baghdad. Security was tight in Baghdad in the few days before the event on Thursday as multitudes of Shiites poured to the shrine of Imam Kadhem, a revered Shiite holy man buried in Baghdad. Iraqi security forces and army blocked the entrances and roads to the shrine and placed bomb and explosive detectors on all major roads leading to it.
Meantime, Brigadier Qassem Atta, a spokesman for the current campaign to secure Baghdad, said the authorities have discovered “a huge weapons depot” at a major Sunni mosque in the city. He said the arms cache include mortars, artillery projectiles, missiles and rocket launchers. Atta said 86 gunmen were killed and 143 captured in the past two weeks in Adhamiya, a predominantly Sunni neighborhood in Baghdad. He said 37 kidnapped Iraqis were freed, 914 bombs defused and 13 car bombs dismantled in the same area.
Khazaali said the two, whose have not been identified, have admitted to committing “horrendous crimes” in the province. The arrest was made as hundreds of thousands of Iraqi Shiites began flocking to religious shrines to commemorate the death of one of their saints buried in Baghdad. Security was tight in Baghdad in the few days before the event on Thursday as multitudes of Shiites poured to the shrine of Imam Kadhem, a revered Shiite holy man buried in Baghdad. Iraqi security forces and army blocked the entrances and roads to the shrine and placed bomb and explosive detectors on all major roads leading to it.
Meantime, Brigadier Qassem Atta, a spokesman for the current campaign to secure Baghdad, said the authorities have discovered “a huge weapons depot” at a major Sunni mosque in the city. He said the arms cache include mortars, artillery projectiles, missiles and rocket launchers. Atta said 86 gunmen were killed and 143 captured in the past two weeks in Adhamiya, a predominantly Sunni neighborhood in Baghdad. He said 37 kidnapped Iraqis were freed, 914 bombs defused and 13 car bombs dismantled in the same area.
Labels: Adhamiyah, Aqeel al-Khazaali, Brigadier Qassem Atta, explosive belts, Islamic Army in Iraq, Karbala, Sunni mosque, weapons cache
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Round-up of violence across Iraq
Security
08:52 AM EDT By Laith Hammoudi, McClatchy Newspapers
The daily Iraq violence report is compiled by McClatchy Newspapers in Baghdad from police, military and medical reports. This is not a comprehensive list of all violence in Iraq, much of which goes unreported. It’s posted without editing as transmitted to McClatchy’s Washington Bureau.
(Reuters) - Following are security developments in Iraq at 0830 GMT on Wednesday:
* denotes new or updated item.
* MANDALI - A bomber wearing a suicide vest killed 20 people and wounded 30 in a cafe in Mandali, about 100 km (60 miles) northeast of Baghdad on Wednesday, police said.
JBELA - At least three people were killed and nine wounded by a suicide car bomber in a popular market in the town of Jbela, near Iskandariya, 40 km south of Baghdad, police spokesman Captain Muthana al-Maamouri said.
BAGHDAD - U.S. forces killed two insurgents, detained 19 others and uncovered a cache of Iranian money and bomb-making materials during a raid in the Sadr City district of northeastern Baghdad, the U.S. military said.
BAGHDAD - The bodies of 33 people were found shot in different districts of Baghdad on Tuesday, police said. Twenty- seven of them were found in the predominantly Sunni Arab western Karkh side of Baghdad.
ANBAR - Two U.S. marines were killed on Tuesday while conducting combat operations in Anbar Province in western Iraq, the U.S. military said.
KUT - The bodies of five people were retrieved from two rivers near the city of Kut, 170 km (100 miles) southeast of Baghdad on Tuesday, police said.
KHAN BANI SAAD - Three children were killed and three wounded in a mortar attack in the town of Khan Bani Saad, near Baquba, 65 km north of Baghdad, police said.
RIYADH - A roadside bomb targeting a police patrol wounded four policemen on Tuesday in the town of Riyadh, 60 km southwest of Baghdad, police said.
KHAN BANI SAAD - An Iraqi officer was killed and three other soldiers wounded in clashes with gunmen in the town of Khan Bani Saad on Tuesday, police said.
BAGHDAD - A suicide car bomber targeting a police patrol killed a policeman and wounded three others in Doura district of southern Baghdad, police said.
SAMAWA - The bodies of five Shi'ite men were brought to Samawa on Tuesday. Dozens of Shi'ites then began throwing stones at a Sunni mosque in protest at the killing of the five men, the assistant to the mosque's imam said.
* denotes new or updated item.
* MANDALI - A bomber wearing a suicide vest killed 20 people and wounded 30 in a cafe in Mandali, about 100 km (60 miles) northeast of Baghdad on Wednesday, police said.
JBELA - At least three people were killed and nine wounded by a suicide car bomber in a popular market in the town of Jbela, near Iskandariya, 40 km south of Baghdad, police spokesman Captain Muthana al-Maamouri said.
BAGHDAD - U.S. forces killed two insurgents, detained 19 others and uncovered a cache of Iranian money and bomb-making materials during a raid in the Sadr City district of northeastern Baghdad, the U.S. military said.
BAGHDAD - The bodies of 33 people were found shot in different districts of Baghdad on Tuesday, police said. Twenty- seven of them were found in the predominantly Sunni Arab western Karkh side of Baghdad.
ANBAR - Two U.S. marines were killed on Tuesday while conducting combat operations in Anbar Province in western Iraq, the U.S. military said.
KUT - The bodies of five people were retrieved from two rivers near the city of Kut, 170 km (100 miles) southeast of Baghdad on Tuesday, police said.
KHAN BANI SAAD - Three children were killed and three wounded in a mortar attack in the town of Khan Bani Saad, near Baquba, 65 km north of Baghdad, police said.
RIYADH - A roadside bomb targeting a police patrol wounded four policemen on Tuesday in the town of Riyadh, 60 km southwest of Baghdad, police said.
KHAN BANI SAAD - An Iraqi officer was killed and three other soldiers wounded in clashes with gunmen in the town of Khan Bani Saad on Tuesday, police said.
BAGHDAD - A suicide car bomber targeting a police patrol killed a policeman and wounded three others in Doura district of southern Baghdad, police said.
SAMAWA - The bodies of five Shi'ite men were brought to Samawa on Tuesday. Dozens of Shi'ites then began throwing stones at a Sunni mosque in protest at the killing of the five men, the assistant to the mosque's imam said.
Labels: car bomb, Jbela, Khan Bani Saad, Kut, Mandali, mortar rounds, policemen, Riyadh, Sadr City, Samawa, suicide bomber, weapons cache
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Round-up of violence across Iraq
Security
(Reuters) - Following are security developments in Iraq at 0930 GMT on Tuesday:
* denotes new or updated item.
DIYALA PROVINCE - A suicide car bomber killed nine U.S. soldiers and wounded 20 at a military base north of Baghdad on Monday, the U.S. military said. One Iraqi civilian was also wounded in the attack.
* BAGHDAD - U.S. forces detained 10 insurgents and discovered a weapons cache in Baghdad, the U.S. military said. Those detained were suspected of working with al Qaeda in Iraq and facilitating foreign fighters near Falluja.
* NASIRIYA - Three Australian soldiers were injured when an improvised explosive device hit their light armoured vehicle patrol near Nasiriya, 375 km (235 miles) southeast of Baghdad on Monday, the Australian military said.
BAQUBA - Gunmen wearing Iraqi army uniforms attacked homes in a town near Baquba north of Baghdad, killing six and wounding 15, police said. Six houses were set on fire.
BAGHDAD - Two car bombs exploded in a parking lot in front of the Iranian embassy in Baghdad's Salhiya neighbourhood, a Reuters photographer said. Police said four people were wounded. A total of four car bombs have exploded in the lot in the past 24 hours.
BAGHDAD - The bodies of 15 people were found shot in different districts of Baghdad on Monday, police said.
MOSUL - The bodies of five people were found shot in different districts of Mosul, 390 km (240 miles) north of Baghdad, police said.
NEAR KERBALA - A roadside bomb targeting a joint Iraqi-U.S. patrol killed three Iraqi soldiers and wounded four others near the holy city of Kerbala, 100 km south of Baghdad, on Monday, police said.
MUQDADIYA - A U.S. soldier died on Monday after a roadside bomb exploded near him in Muqdadiya, 90 km northeast of Baghdad, the U.S. military said.
HILLA - A car bomb near a restaurant killed three people and wounded eight on Monday in Hilla, 100 km south of Baghdad, police said.
* denotes new or updated item.
DIYALA PROVINCE - A suicide car bomber killed nine U.S. soldiers and wounded 20 at a military base north of Baghdad on Monday, the U.S. military said. One Iraqi civilian was also wounded in the attack.
* BAGHDAD - U.S. forces detained 10 insurgents and discovered a weapons cache in Baghdad, the U.S. military said. Those detained were suspected of working with al Qaeda in Iraq and facilitating foreign fighters near Falluja.
* NASIRIYA - Three Australian soldiers were injured when an improvised explosive device hit their light armoured vehicle patrol near Nasiriya, 375 km (235 miles) southeast of Baghdad on Monday, the Australian military said.
BAQUBA - Gunmen wearing Iraqi army uniforms attacked homes in a town near Baquba north of Baghdad, killing six and wounding 15, police said. Six houses were set on fire.
BAGHDAD - Two car bombs exploded in a parking lot in front of the Iranian embassy in Baghdad's Salhiya neighbourhood, a Reuters photographer said. Police said four people were wounded. A total of four car bombs have exploded in the lot in the past 24 hours.
BAGHDAD - The bodies of 15 people were found shot in different districts of Baghdad on Monday, police said.
MOSUL - The bodies of five people were found shot in different districts of Mosul, 390 km (240 miles) north of Baghdad, police said.
NEAR KERBALA - A roadside bomb targeting a joint Iraqi-U.S. patrol killed three Iraqi soldiers and wounded four others near the holy city of Kerbala, 100 km south of Baghdad, on Monday, police said.
MUQDADIYA - A U.S. soldier died on Monday after a roadside bomb exploded near him in Muqdadiya, 90 km northeast of Baghdad, the U.S. military said.
HILLA - A car bomb near a restaurant killed three people and wounded eight on Monday in Hilla, 100 km south of Baghdad, police said.
Labels: Baghdad, Baqouba, car bomb, Diyala, Hilla, IED, Mosul, Muqdadiya, Nasiriyah, roadside bombs, SVBIED, weapons cache
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Round-up of violence across Iraq
Security
(Reuters) - Security developments in Iraq as of 0830 GMT on Wednesday. Follow the link for further information.
BAGHDAD - Police said they found the bodies of nine people shot on Tuesday in different districts of Baghdad.
BAGHDAD - Gunmen killed Abdul Abbas Hashim, a general director in the Electricity Ministry, along with his driver in a drive-by shooting in northern Baghdad, police and the Electricity Ministry said.
HILLA - A roadside bomb targeting a police patrol killed a policeman and wounded three others in the Shi'ite city of Hilla, 100 km (60 miles) south of Baghdad, police said.
BAGHDAD - U.S. forces killed an insurgent, detained 13 others and destroyed several weapons caches during a five-day operation in the Arab Jibour area of southern Baghdad, the U.S. military said.
Labels: Baghdad, Hilla, roadside bombs, weapons cache
Monday, February 26, 2007
Large weapons cache seized
Security
(AP) U.S. and Iraqi forces have seized a large weapons cache that includes parts for sophisticated roadside bombs that are believed to originate in Iran, U.S. military investigators said. Details of the find were expected to be announced Monday at a news conference in Baghdad. But military officials told The Associated Press that the arsenal is one of the biggest found north of the Iraqi capital and contains components for so-called EFPs, explosively formed projectiles that fire a slug of molten metal that can penetrate armored vehicles.
The U.S. military has said elite Iranian corps are funneling EFPs to Shiite militias in Iraq for use against American troops. The area where the cache was found is dominated by Sunni insurgents but also includes pockets of Shiites. An informant tipped off Iraqi police to the weapons stash Saturday, the military said in a statement to the AP. It was discovered near Baqouba, the provincial capital of Diyala province, about 35 miles northeast of Baghdad.
Along with the EFPs, the weapons cache contained more than two dozen mortars and 15 rockets. There were enough metal disks to make 130 EFPs, the military said. The origin of the weapons seized Saturday was being investigated, said Lt. Col. Michael Donnelly, spokesman for Multinational Division-North. A statement from the U.S. military Monday said that 63 weapons caches have been discovered during major U.S.-Iraqi security sweeps around Baghdad that began Feb. 14. The arsenals included anti-aircraft weapons, armor-piercing bullets, bomb components and mortar rounds, the statement said.
The U.S. military has said elite Iranian corps are funneling EFPs to Shiite militias in Iraq for use against American troops. The area where the cache was found is dominated by Sunni insurgents but also includes pockets of Shiites. An informant tipped off Iraqi police to the weapons stash Saturday, the military said in a statement to the AP. It was discovered near Baqouba, the provincial capital of Diyala province, about 35 miles northeast of Baghdad.
Along with the EFPs, the weapons cache contained more than two dozen mortars and 15 rockets. There were enough metal disks to make 130 EFPs, the military said. The origin of the weapons seized Saturday was being investigated, said Lt. Col. Michael Donnelly, spokesman for Multinational Division-North. A statement from the U.S. military Monday said that 63 weapons caches have been discovered during major U.S.-Iraqi security sweeps around Baghdad that began Feb. 14. The arsenals included anti-aircraft weapons, armor-piercing bullets, bomb components and mortar rounds, the statement said.
Labels: Baqouba, EFPs, Iran, weapons cache
Friday, February 16, 2007
SCIRI member denounces raid on mosque
Security, Politics
(McClatchy Newspapers) A U.S. military spokesman Thursday hailed a joint American-Iraqi raid on Baghdad’s leading Shiite mosque as proof that the security plan is being applied evenly across the sectarian divide. The raid, which took place Wednesday, angered the mosque’s imam, who took the unusual step of canceling today’s prayer services at the historic Baratha mosque.
Sheik Jalal al-Din al-Saghir, a member of parliament from the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI), denounced the raid, which the U.S. military said had turned up a cache of illegal weapons. Searching mosques has been a particularly sensitive issue since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion. In delivering the decree that legalized the security plan this week, Lt. Gen. Aboud Qanbar of the Iraqi army said that soldiers would enter mosques only if they were used “for illegal purposes” or to protect citizens from harm.
The U.S. military said that the mosque was raided “during operations targeting illegally armed militia kidnapping, torture and murder activities.” It said the mosque was used “to conduct sectarian violence against Iraqi civilians as well as a safe haven and weapons storage area for illegal militia groups.” Sunnis have reported being held and beaten in the mosque.
U.S. forces provided protection around the mosque while Iraqi soldiers entered it with the cooperation of its security guards, the military statement said. Three Russian PKC machine guns and 80 assault rifles were seized, the statement said. Saghir said that the mosque was raided by Americans who, he alleged, had relied on false intelligence. He said the Americans were looking for “prisons, vaults and torturing operations.”
Sheik Jalal al-Din al-Saghir, a member of parliament from the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI), denounced the raid, which the U.S. military said had turned up a cache of illegal weapons. Searching mosques has been a particularly sensitive issue since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion. In delivering the decree that legalized the security plan this week, Lt. Gen. Aboud Qanbar of the Iraqi army said that soldiers would enter mosques only if they were used “for illegal purposes” or to protect citizens from harm.
The U.S. military said that the mosque was raided “during operations targeting illegally armed militia kidnapping, torture and murder activities.” It said the mosque was used “to conduct sectarian violence against Iraqi civilians as well as a safe haven and weapons storage area for illegal militia groups.” Sunnis have reported being held and beaten in the mosque.
U.S. forces provided protection around the mosque while Iraqi soldiers entered it with the cooperation of its security guards, the military statement said. Three Russian PKC machine guns and 80 assault rifles were seized, the statement said. Saghir said that the mosque was raided by Americans who, he alleged, had relied on false intelligence. He said the Americans were looking for “prisons, vaults and torturing operations.”
Labels: mosque raid, SCIRI, weapons cache
