Southern Iraq Targeted in Violence That Leaves 60 Dead, 107 Wounded

At least 60 people were killed and 107 more were wounded in today’s carnage. A series of coordinated attacks affected cities south of Baghdad. Even though the region was once as violent as the northern half, in recent years, southern Iraq has seen a clear reduction in violence.

Six car bombs were detonated across Babel province today. In those attacks, nine people were killed and 21 more were wounded in a series of blasts in Hilla. A bomb in Jbela wounded 10 people. The figures could rise.

Seven people were killed and nine more were wounded when bomb blew up in Najaf.

In Baghdad, a bomb on Palestine Street killed two civilians and wounded eight more. At least five more people were killed in bombings.

A car bomb targeting a police chief in Tikrit killed five policemen and two civilians; another seven were wounded.

Five people were killed and 14 more were wounded in a blast in Suwayra.

A car bomb killed four people and wounded five more in Nasariya.

In Mosul, gunmen killed a policeman and wounded another. Gunmen killed three Yazidi civilians.

Three policemen were killed and three more were wounded during a suicide attack in Samarra.

Two people were killed and three more were wounded in Mahmoudiya when a bomb exploded.

In Yathrib, gunmen killed a policeman and his wife at a fake checkpoint. At least four more were killed.

One person was killed and nine more were wounded in a blast in Meshahda.

A bomb at a Baiji checkpoint killed a policeman and wounded two civilians.

Five bombs at a Duluiya police officer’s home wounded him, his wife and their child.

In Tarmiya, three Sahwa members were killed and seven more were wounded.

Security forces killed a gunman as they attempted to enter Iraq from Syria. Three soldiers and two gunmen were wounded.

Author: Margaret Griffis

Margaret Griffis is a journalist from Miami Beach, Florida and has been covering Iraqi casualties for Antiwar.com since 2006.