Updated at 6:05 p.m. EST, Dec. 30, 2006
Saddam Hussein was hanged at dawn. He joins the 110 other Iraqis who were killed or found dead today; another 172 Iraqis were wounded in violent attacks throughout the country. Also, the death of another American soldier brought the total number of GIs killed in Iraq to 2998 deaths.
U.S. authorities reported that a roadside bomb killed a U.S. servicemember in southwestern Baghdad on Friday. This death brings the total number of GI deaths in Iraq to 2998, just shy of the 3000 mark. December has also been the deadliest month for 2006 and the third bloodiest of the war with 109 deaths so far.
In Baghdad, car bomb attacks resumed: Three coordinated car bombs exploded in the Shi’ite Hurriyah neighborhood; 37 people were killed and 76 were wounded. In the Mansour district, another car bomb killed two and wounded eight. Another car bomb, this one in the Saidiya neighborhood, killed one person and wounded four, including two police officers. Two more were killed and three injured when a car bomb exploded after night in the Adhamiya neighborhood. A car bombing also took place just north of the capital, outside the Al-Iskan children’s hospital; three were killed and ten injured there. Also, 12 dumped bodies were discovered throughout the capital.
In Kufa, which is near the holy city of Najaf, a car bomb exploded at a market packed with Eid al-Adha holiday shoppers. At least 36 were killed and 58 wounded; an angry mob also killed the alleged bomber.
A suicide bomb in Tal Afar killed five and wounded eight, including four policemen.
Police found four shot and tortured bodies in Mahmudiya.
Four gunmen with alleged ties to al Qaeda were killed during a Coalition raid in Thar Thar.
Demonstrations occurred throughout the country even in Saddam’s hometown of Tikrit where a four-day curfew has been imposed. In Mosul, two demonstrators were killed by Iraqi soldiers after demostrations turned into violent clashes.
Compiled by Margaret Griffis
