Northern Province Declares Autonomy As Dozens are Killed, Wounded in Baghdad Attacks

Thursday: 46 Iraqis Killed, 106 Wounded

by , October 27, 2011

Updated at 5:09 p.m. EDT, Oct. 28, 2010

As one northern province complained of Baghdad’s overeach by symbolically declaring its autonomy, insurgents used deadlier means to send a signal to the Iraqi government. At least 46 Iraqis were killed and 106 more were wounded in attacks that occurred mostly in the capital.

Salah ad Din‘s provincial council symbolically declared its autonomy today in order to protest an ongoing crackdown on alleged Ba’ath Party "insurgents." Although the province cannot secede without a public referendum first approved by the Iraqi parliament, the council hopes this will "send a message" of discontent to the federal government. Over 500 Iraqis have been detained for alleged ties in recent days, while 140 faculty members were also sacked at Tikrit University. Many Iraqis believe the timing of the arrests, just ahead of the U.S. military withdrawal, points to a Shi’ite government tightening the reins on its power. The army also detained six Sadrists in Basra.

In Baghdad, a double bombing at a music store in Ur killed 36 people and wounded at least 78 others; as often happens, the first blast drew first responders to a second, deadlier explosion. Separately, a sniper killed a traffic policeman and wounded another in Saidiya. A bomb in Mowasalat wounded four civilians. Three people were wounded during an explosion in Habibiya. A blast on Palestine Street wounded another three people. In Za’afaraniya, four more civilians were wounded in a bombing. A policeman was killed in a grenade attack. Gunmen wounded a general.

A booby-trapped car in Amiriya killed a Sahwa member and wounded two companions.

Three gunmen were killed in a clash near Mosul. The body of a kidnapping victim was discovered.

A roadside bomb killed two people, including a child, and wounded two others in Iskandariya.

A bomb in Falluja wounded six people.

In Jbela, a man was wounded in a blast at his brother’s home.

A grenade killed a soldier in Samarra.

A man was wounded in Kirkuk when a magnetic bomb blasted his car.

Read more by Margaret Griffis