215 Killed as Iraq Gov’t Meets Resistance to Reforms

The Iraqi parliament has approved a report on Mosul that found several top officials, including former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, responsible for the loss of the city to militants last year. They forwarded the report to the public prosecutor for possible trials.

The Supreme Judicial Council refused protestor demands for the removal of Judge Medhat Mahmoud, who is the most senior judge on the council. Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani had said recently that the judicial system’s reform is a top priority.

The body of Saddam’s half brother was stolen. Watban Ibrahim Al-Hassan died in prison, and his wife was apparently taking the body to Tikrit for burial. She was kidnapped at the time of the theft. Recently, there were rumors that Saddam’s first wife, Sajida Talfah, had also died, but the family has denied her passing.

Kurdish owners of livestock have been warned to keep their herds far away from the Iranian border or risk getting bombed. The Iranian military has been strengthening its border forces in response to activity from Kurdish rebel groups.

At least 215 were killed and 80 were wounded:

 Three truck bombs killed 25 security personnel and wounded 33 more near Ramadi in the Kharabsha, Ma’amil and Albu-Eitha areas.

Eight people were killed and 11 others were wounded when a helicopter gunship attacked Albu Bali.

An airstrike on a home in Rutba left four dead and three wounded.

In Falahat, mortars killed two soldiers and wounded three more.

Three soldiers were killed and two were wounded when a truck bomb exploded in Haswa.

A bomb in Abu Ghraib killed one soldier and wounded three more.

A civilian was gunned down in Latifiya.

In Baghdad, a car bomb wounded six civilians. Nine militants were killed and seven more were wounded.

A sniper killed four policemen in Baiji.

About 70 militants were killed in Albu Issa.

Clashes in Garma left 29 militants dead and 12 wounded.

Unidentified gunmen killed a senior militant leader in Mosul. Airstrikes left 20 militants dead.

An airstrike on Haditha left at least 10 militants dead.

In Husayba, ten militants were killed. A rocket killed four more.

Eight militants were killed in Khalidiya.

Unidentified gunmen killed six militants in Ana.

Author: Margaret Griffis

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