At least 17 Iraqis were killed across the country, while seven others were wounded. Also, two more Iranians were reported dead at Camp Ashraf.
Tens of thousands of Shi’ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr’s followers protested U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates‘ suggestion yesterday that U.S. troops could remain past the year-end withdrawal date. Sadr himself threatened to reactivate his Mahdi Army if the timetable is not honored.
A Camp Ashraf spokesperson reported two more deaths that resulted from yesterday’s deadly raid into the Iranian exile camp. Although some reporters were allowed into the camp today, there were not permitted to speak with residents and could not verify yesterday’s high casualty tolls. Delivery of American aid to the camp was also halted. Iraq continues to claim that security officials were attacked first.
Five gunmen were killed in a shootout with police at a house in Baiji. They had been holding a businessman hostage but killed him after police arrived.
An operation in Ramadi left three gunmen dead and three policemen injured.
A sticky bomb killed three people in Falluja.
Gunmen attacked an Awakening Council checkpoint in Kirkuk, but the only casualties were the two gunmen killed during the shootout.
The chief of traffic police was killed in an explosion in Jalawla.
In Baghdad, a blast wounded three people in the Doura neighborhood. A man was wounded in Yarmouk during an explosion.
In Mosul, gunmen killed a university dean outside his home. An off-duty policeman was shot to death.
