Tuesday: 53 Iraqis Killed, 123 Wounded

by , August 03, 2010

Updated at 2:40 p.m. EDT, Aug. 3, 2010

A rare car bombing in a southern, Shi’ite city and another flag-planting attack on security forces in the capital were just two of the many attacks witnessed across Iraq today. Overall, at least 53 Iraqis were killed and 123 more were wounded. The figures are expected to rise in the Kut bombing. Meanwhile, 26 Kurdish families have crossed the frontier into Iraqi Kurdistan to escape Iranian artillery attacks against suspected Party of Free Life of Kurdistan (PJAK) rebels.

Thirty-three people were killed and at least 85 others were wounded in a triple car bombing in Kut. The blasts occurred in a large crowd that was gathered at the Amil crossing.

In Baghdad, Islamic State of Iraq gunmen launched a morning attack on a Mansour checkpoint, where they killed five soldiers and left their flag as a calling card. Nearby, a mortar attack left no casualties. Gunmen also wounded a policeman in Ghazaliya. In Ghadeer, a sticky bomb killed a policeman, while in Hurriya another blast wounded three people. An army soldier was killed in another bombing. On Palestine Street, a blast killed one Iraqi and wounded three others. Two servicemembers were killed as they attempted to defuse another bomb; two others were also wounded. At least two others were wounded in a blast in Khullani Square. Three were wounded in a blast in Doura. Mortars fell in the Green Zone but no casualties were reported.

In Mosul, a policeman was wounded in a grenade attack at the 5th Street Bridge. Gunmen wounded a soldier at a checkpoint. In eastern Mosul, a bombing left six dead and 11 wounded. Three civilians were killed and four policemen were wounded in a nearby bomb attack.

A bomb blast targeting an army patrol in Sadr City killed one person and wounded seven others, including civilians.

A bomb near a car belonging to Riyadh’s police chief damaged a number of cars.

Zinjili lifted a curfew.

Two bombs were defused in Nasariya.

Some bomb-sniffing dogs returning to the United States from Iraq are exhibiting signs of trauma similar to the post-traumatic stress disorder seen in many human servicemembers.

In Turkey, a clash left one policeman and three PKK rebels dead.

Read more by Margaret Griffis