At least 30 Iraqis were killed and 44 more were wounded in fresh violence.
The Arbaeen holiday ended today. It marks the conclusion of a 40-day mourning period that commemorates the death of Imam Hussein, a grandchild of the Prophet Mohammed. His role in Islam is one of the key differences between Shi’ite and Sunnis. Sunni insurgents have been using the holiday to attack Shi’ites. As the pilgrims return to their home from Karbala, they will likely continue to be targeted.
A bomb planted on a road between Falluja and Ramadi blasted the acting defense secretary’s convoy. The ministry did not report whether Saadun al-Dulaimi was with the convoy, but two of his guards were wounded.
In Mosul, three policemen were killed and a fourth was wounded in two attacks.
Two pilgrims were killed and 17 more were wounded in a double bombing near Bartala.
In Falluja, a bomb killed a soldier and wounded three more. A policeman was killed and another was wounded in a small arms attack. A mortar attack wounded seven policemen.
One policeman was killed and three more were wounded in a suicide attack in Tuz Khormato. A separate car bomb wounded three policemen.
In Qayara, gunmen killed a policeman and his brother.
Gunmen killed a police captain who was walking in Ramadi.
Gunmen near Kirkuk killed a police captain.
Four soldiers were wounded in a blast in Baaj.
In Imam Weis, a bomb wounded three policemen.
A bomb in Buhriz wounded two civilians.
Ten gunmen were killed during an operation on their camp in Rutba.
Security forces killed eight militants near the border with Syria.
