Updated at 8:55 p.m. EDT, Sept. 9, 2010
Iraqis are awaiting the sighting of the crescent moon that will mark the end of Ramadan and the start of Eid al-Fitr celebrations. Although security forces are concerned this may trigger an increase in violence, so far attacks have remained light. At least eight Iraqis were killed and 15 more were wounded.
Iraqi Christians are condemning an American pastor’s appeal to burn the Qur’an on the anniversary of the Sept. 11 bombings. They warn it could result in retaliatory attacks against Christians. At the same time, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki called for intervention as the book-burning could harm relations and increase extremist attacks. This year the anniversary coincides with Eid celebrations. Late on Thursday, the event was canceled.
During a sweep of Karkh Prison (formerly Camp Cropper), U.S. troops discovered that four detainees with ties to al-Qaeda are missing. The men were facing execution. The camp was handed over to the Iraqis in July, but at the request of the Iraqi government U.S. troops still guard about 200 of the prisoners in a separate section known as Compound Five.
As part of an ongoing investigation, police have arrested the father and a second brother of an Iraqi soldier who attacked U.S. soldiers two days ago at an army base in Tuz Khormato. Separately, hundreds of the town’s residents attended the soldier’s funeral.
In Baghdad, three people were killed and ten more were injured during an attack in the Mushahda neighborhood. A blast in Bab al-Muadham left no casualties. Motorcycles have been banned during the Eid.
A Sunni cleric was beheaded and his body set on fire in Muqdadiya. The cleric also worked as a medic treating Sahwa members and had just returned home after fleeing the area in 2007 because of sectarian violence.
In Mosul, a hand grenade wounded five people. Police liberated two kidnap victims and arrested three kidnappers. Seven suspects were arrested at a cemetery.
A policeman was killed during a home invasion in Abu Ghraib.
A raid in Qayara left a soldier and a gunman dead, but four suspects were captured.
Gunmen stormed a policeman’s home in Baquba, where they beheaded his wife after being unable to locate the policeman.
A bomb left no casualties in Khanaqin.
Suleimaniyah has implemented special security measures for the Eid.
Sarah Shourd, one of three hikers who wandered into Iran from Iraqi Kurdistan and was arrested on charges of spying, may be released during Eid celebrations
