Monday: 9 Iraqis, 1 Syrian Killed; 8 Iraqis Wounded

by , May 25, 2009

Updated at 7:10 p.m. EDT, May 24, 2009

The Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) offered to end a decades long conflict with Turkey if the Turks are willing to negotiate a settlement. At least nine Iraqis were killed, along with a Syrian fighter, and another eight were wounded in the latest attacks. Meanwhile, Speaker of the Iraqi Parliament Iyad al-Samarraie said that Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has the right to reshuffle or select cabinet ministers in order to implement government programs. Political pressure had prevented Maliki from doing so previously.

Should Turkey accept their offer of peace, the decades long conflict with the PKK could end soon. The PKK is willing to give up their goal of an independent Kurdistan in exchange for peace and a negotiated settlement, and has imposed a temporary end to operations to give the Turks a chance to respond.

Six dumped bodies were discovered in Uthmaniya.

A roadside bomb wounded four policemen in Baquba.

In Mosul, gunmen wounded three schoolgirls. A sniper killed an Iraqi soldier. A man was killed in yet another shooting incident. A roadside bomb wounded an Iraqi.

In Baghdad, security forces conducted a raid in Ghadeer; an Iraqi and a Syrian were killed, while four other suspects were arrested. A bomb targeting a U.S. patrol in Adel left no casualties.

A nine-year-ole child in Samarra was liberated hours after he was kidnapped. Four gunmen were chased off during a clash.

Three rockets were defused near Amara.

A man suspected of being a militia commander was arrested near Kut in Numaniya. Security forces said the man had been twice detained by U.S. forces and released.

Four men suspected of killing Brigadier Hakeem Jassim were captured in Zubair.

In 71-year-old Iraqi who killed a U.S. soldier in Shiloaiya was released on bail while awaiting trial. The man thought he heard looters.

Sixty suspects were arrested in Karbala.

Iraq’s central court gave Yusuf Sinawi, the Secretary General of Thar-Allar (God’s Revenge) party, a life sentence for terrorist acts.

Read more by Margaret Griffis