Updated at 11:58 p.m. EST, Jan. 2, 2008
A female suicide bomber struck Baquba for the second time this week and only a day after a major bombing in Baghdad. The recent surge in bombings coincides with a message from Osama bin Laden threatening an increase in such attacks against Awakening Councils. Overall, at least 67 Iraqis were killed and 55 were wounded. No Coalition deaths were reported.
In Baquba, a female suicide bomber targeted an Awakening Council checkpoint in the Naaquba al-Jadida neighborhood, killing as many as 10 people and wounding 28 others; women were among the casualties. The U.S. military said the bomber was male and gave lower casualty figures. Meanwhile, U.S. forces killed two suspects and detained seven more during security operations.
In Baghdad, police increased the toll from yesterday’s bombing by six deaths, up from the 30 killed previously reported. An IED near Shabb Stadium in the Zayouna district left five wounded. Three suspects were killed and 28 were detained during security operations; three security personnel were killed and two more were wounded. Five children and an adult were shot to death in their minivan. Also, three dumped bodies were found.
U.S. forces in Mosul accidentally killed a woman when a missile meant for a group of people planting a roadside bomb went off-course. In the al-Baath neighborhood, a roadside bomb wounded a policeman. A police officer was killed and two were wounded during clashes in the al-Mithaq.
Gunmen killed two brothers, a soldier and a policeman, at their home in al-Hay.
A roadside bomb in Abu Saida killed a civilian last night. Also, an Iraqi soldier was wounded during a mortar attack.
North of Basra in al-Abla, gunmen wounded two civilians.
Near Jalawla, three suspects were killed and one was wounded during security operations.
A police officer was killed and six were injured during an ambush in Salah ad Din province. Three police commandos were also injured. Among the injured was the Al Salam Iraqi Police commander. During overnight operations, 15 suspects, a policeman and two civilians were killed.
Three gunmen were captured in Hawija.
Gunmen killed six people and wounded three others in Muqdadiyah.
In Hanash, eight suspects were detained.
Across Iraq, 201 detainees were released for lack of evidence against them.
The Basra Security Committee released figures on the number of women killed last year. Of the 133 women killed in Basra, 79 were murdered for violating Sharia law and the others died in honor killings. Separately, a mortar attack on the British base at the airport left no casualties.
Meanwhile, the International Federation of Journalists reported that 65 journalists were killed across Iraq during 2007. The figure represents nearly a third of deaths worldwide.
Compiled by Margaret Griffis
