Updated at 8:00 p.m. EST, Nov. 12, 2010
At least one Iraqi was killed and 23 more wounded in new attacks. A number of the attacks occurred yesterday but went unreported until today or late last night. Meanwhile, U.S. President Barack Obama welcomed a new Iraqi government that is already seeing its first conflict. Former Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, whose Iraqiya party won the largest number of seats in March elections, called the new Iraqi government a "dictatorship."
A Sunni boycott of parliament continues as lawmakers try to salvage a power-sharing agreement that allowed for the selection of the new government yesterday. What apparently set off the Iraqiya members was an attempt to remove a ban on three of their colleagues who are accused of having ties to the outlawed Ba’ath Party. Kurdish lawmaker Mahmoud Othman suggested the walkout was based on a misunderstandings and mistrust between the parties. It is not the first time political blocs have boycotted parliament, and it is unclear whether this one will have any effect beyond theatrics. At stake now is Iraqiya’s hold on power in the new government, including oversight of a new council. Iraqiya leader Allawi voiced grave concerns that despite "(agreeing) to sacrifice (Iraqiya’s) constitutional and democratic rights and to accept the formation of a government for the sake of the Iraqi people" the new government is not respecting political rivals such as Iraqiya. Should that sentiment spread it could lead to renewed sectarian bloodshed.
The National Council of Resistance of Iran claimed that residents of Camp Ashraf are being denied unobstructed access to healthcare. In one case, they say a woman was unable to travel for cancer treatment because soldiers who had previously taken part in attacks on the camp would have to accompany her. The camp is home to several thousand Iranian refugees that the Iraqi government would like to see leave the country.
In Baghdad, two blasts wounded 10 people in Saidiya last night. A bomb wounded three people, including a policeman, in Zaafaraniyah. Another Zaafaraniyah blast wounded four people. A sticky bomb wounded a driver in Karrada. Today, four rocket-launching pads were found.
A joint U.S.-Iraqi raid on a home in Garma left one dead and one arrested, both brothers to an Anbar provincial council member. A separate bomb left three wounded.
A roadside bomb targeting a Diyala council member wounded two of his guards as they were driving in Kanaan.
A roadside bomb was defused in Tal Afar.
Four suspects were detained in Suwayra.
Three suspects were captured in Kirkuk.
