Updated at 12:52 a.m. EDT, May 24, 2007
The body of a missing American soldier was found floating in the Euphrates River today. Another nine American servicemembers were also killed in separate events. So far, 81 U.S. servicemembers have been killed during May making it one of the deadliest months since the early days of the war. Iraqis fared no better with at least 127 Iraqis being killed or found dead and 98 Iraqis being wounded in violent events.
Iraqi police found a partially clothed body today in the Euphrates River near Mussayab. According to the family of a missing soldier, the U.S. military reported to them that the body belonged to their family member. On May 12th, an American patrol was ambushed in the "triangle of death." Four soldiers and an Iraqi translator were killed during the attack, while three other soldiers went missing. Another pair of bodies was later found in the Euphrates, but those remain unconfirmed.
In confirmed deaths, the U.S military reported that yesterday two Marines were killed while conducting combat operations in Anbar province. In Baghdad, two Task Force Lightning soldiers were killed during an explosion near their vehicle. An MND-B soldier was shot dead in western Baghdad. Three MND soldiers were killed and two wounded during a multiple roadside bomb attack; an interpreter was also wounded. Also, a Task Force Marne soldier was killed and another wounded during an attack south of Baghdad.
Health ministry statistics in Iraq show that the benefits of an security offensive launched in February have been short-lived, and sectarian violence is once again on the rise.
In Baghdad, 30 unidentified bodies were found dumped throughout the city. Three people were killed and 14 injured during a mortar attack in the Karrada district. A second attack in the neighborhood wounded one civilian at the National Theater. In Doura, a suicide bomber killed a policeman and wounded three others. In the same area, clashes between Iraqi army and gunmen left two Iraqi soldiers wounded. In Mansour, gunmen assassinated Colonel Talal Kareem; later, an official from the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs was killed in the same area. Five people were killed and 17 wounded during an armed attack by the much-feared "police commandos on shops in the Sinak area. In Rusafa, gunmen attacked a convoy carrying U.S. state department officials.
During a raid in Sadr City, U.S. forces killed two suspects.
In Mandali, a suicide bomber walked into a marketplace killing 25 and wounding 30 others.
A 17-year-old suicide bomber blew himself up in the Anbar province home of two Sunni brothers, who opposed al-Qaeda. Ten people were killed, including the men, their wives and their children. The men were part of the Anbar Salvation Council.
A car bomb in Mashrooa killed three people and wounded 15 others in the town near Iskandariya.
Five bodies were retrieved from two rivers near Kut.
Three decomposed bodies were found near Baiji.
Five tortured and shot bodies were found in Ramadi.
Near Mosul, gunmen killed a member of the Kurdistan Democratic Party.
A Mosul policeman was killed and his wife injured during an armed attack. A roadside bomb killed two Kurdish Peshmerga troops and a civilian. Also, mortars wounded eight people in a residential neighborhood.
Mortar fire in Khan Bani Saad killed three children and wounded three more. Yesterday, an Iraqi soldier was killed and three more wounded during clashes.
U.S. forces killed six suspects in unspecified locations.
A roadside bomb killed five Iraqi soldiers in Samarra.
In Buhriz, the body of an imam who was kidnapped on Monday was found. Also, a bomb killed two women.
Seven hostages were freed in Baquba.
Gunmen killed a policeman and two civilians in separate events in Muqdadiyah
A civilian was killed in a Khalis marketplace.
Last night in Jalawla, six men were gunned down in front of a home.
In Hawija last night a bomb damaged a home, but no casualties were reported.
Guards confiscated a car loaded with weapons in Mahal Barabek.
Compiled by Margaret Griffis
