Friday: 82 Iraqis Killed, 102 Wounded

by , March 26, 2010

Updated at 1:49 p.m. EST, March 28, 2010

At least 82 Iraqis were killed and 102 more were wounded in what would have been an otherwise quiet prayer day if not for a deadly bomb attack in Khalis. Meanwhile, final results from national elections trickled out during the evening hours in Baghdad. Also, the Ministry of Human Rights reported that 84 mass graves were discovered last year in Baghdad and Diyala provinces. The graves in question appear to all date from after the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq.

Former Prime Minister Ayad Allawi has officially won the most seats, giving him the first crack at forming the new government. This win has the potential for dramatically changing Iraqi politics, especially if Allawi is able to convince the smaller parties to join him.

Back in the United States, a military judge rejected a motion to dismiss charges against a Marine involved in the deaths of 24 Iraqis. Staff Sgt. Frank Wuterich who is the last of eight defendants to be charged with wrongdoing, will stand trial for voluntary manslaughter and other charges in September. Separately, a federal judge has ruled that most lawsuits filed against Halliburton Company and former subsidiary KBR, Inc. in connection with the deaths of Iraqi contractors can move forward.

As many as 80 people were killed and 95 more were wounded in a pair of blasts at a restaurant in Khalis.

A blast in Garma left one soldier dead and two wounded.

U.S. forces killed one gunman and wounded two others south of Mosul.

Near Tikrit, an explosion left three soldiers with injuries.

Joint forces arrested three suspects in Taji.

Twelve suspects were arrested in Basra province.

Security measures were tightened in Wassit province ahead of election results.

Karbala is also under maximum alert. Munitions were seized.

A suicide bomber was arrested in Ramadi.

Read more by Margaret Griffis