Updated at 12:20 a.m. EDT, June 4, 2007
Fifteen American servicemembers were killed and at least 21 were wounded in separate attacks in Iraq over the weekend; dozens more were sickened by a chlorine gas explosion near Baquba.. At least 106 Iraqis also lost their lives and 115 more were wounded during violent activity. And, Turkey shelled a number of Iraqi villages in an attempt to combat Kurdish separatist forces, while U.S. Defense Secretary Gates asked them to hold off on using military force.
The military reported on the deaths of 15 soldiers: Northwest of the capital, an IED killed four MND-B soldiers today. Another MND-B soldier was killed in a separate IED explosion; three soldiers and an Iraqi interpreter were also wounded. A sixth MND-B soldier was killed and two wounded during combat operations in Easten Baghdad. Another soldier was wounded in Duluiya. Also, 62 soldiers were sickened by a chlorine bomb explosion near Forward Operating Base Warhorse in Diyala province; all returned to duty later in the day. Earlier, mortars had slightly injured two soldiers at the base.
Yesterday, an MND-B soldier was killed and two wounded alongside during an attack in western Baghdad. Two Task Force Lightning soldiers were killed and three more wounded when an IED blasted their patrol in Ninewah. A Task Force Marne soldier was killed in a small arms attack while patrolling Baghdad. In Diyala, a Task Force Lightning soldier was killed during an explosion, while another was killed in a separate bombing. Southwest of the capital, a suicide bomber killed a GI. Also, an IED killed an MND-B soldier and injured eight more in western Baghdad.
During an attack southwest of Baghdad on June 1st, a Task Force Marne soldier was killed; the military had earlier said the death had occurred on Saturday. Two more GIs were reported to have died in the first three days of June, bring the total for the month to 17. May was the third deadliest month of the occupation and the worst for American servicemembers since 2004.
In Baghdad, twelve security officers were wounded during a security operation in an undisclosed location. A blast took place in the Bab al-Muadham area, but no casualties were as yet reported. The director of the Central Iraqi Bank and his brother were killed in Amil. A mortar shell injured a civilian near the Umm al-Tubool mosque. Three civilians were wounded in crossfire in the Saydiya neighborhood. In Doura, five civilians were injured during a mortar attack. A roadside bomb killed two men in al-Qadisiyah. Also, 31 dumped bodies were found scattered in several locations.
On Saturday, U.S. air forces attacked men about to launch rockets into the Green Zone; four of the gunmen were killed and one was wounded. Witnesses are saying that up to seven civilians were killed and four wounded during the operation.
Ten people were killed and 30 wounded during car bombing at a busy marketplace in Balad Rouz.
During weekend clashing in Diwaniya, at least three people were killed and 29 others, including five policemen, were wounded.
Five people were killed and ten wounded when gunmen opened fire at a fake checkpoint near Baquba. Two gunmen were killed in clashes. Also, gunmen killed two civilians.
Near Kirkuk, two farmers were killed in the crossfire between warring tribes.
The morgue in Mosul received the bodies of nine people. Tribal sheikh Ghanim Al Sabawi was assassinated. Also, a Christian Chaldean priest and three companions were assassinated after their car was stopped following services at a church.
An old customs building was blown-up without loss to life in Sulaimaniyah.
An exploding hand grenade lobbed at a police patrol in Hawija wounded two policemen and a civilian.
Iraqi and Coalition forces killed seven al-Qaeda suspects on Saturday in Fallujah.
In Balad, Iraqi soldiers killed two suspects.
U.S. forces killed two gunmen in Duluiya. Three children were wounded during an attack on U.S. forces.
Nine policemen were wounded in Samarra in a series of attacks against the dreaded police commandos.
Two civilians were kidnapped in Tikrit.
Five bodies were found in al-Muradiyah.
In Khalis, five civilians were injured in separate roadside bombings.
Two were killed during tribal warfare north of Basra.
Two bodies bearing torture wounds were discovered in Numaniya.
Compiled by Margaret Griffis
