Updated at 10:20 p.m. EDT, Aug. 29, 2008
Many reporters take Fridays off as it is the weekly prayer day for Muslims; however, today has been unusually quiet even for a Friday. Only nine Iraqis were reported killed and one was reported wounded. Meanwhile, a U.S. soldier died in a non-combat related incident.
A day after Shi’ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr indefinitely extended a cease-fire he has imposed on his Mahdi Army, there are positive signs that his followers are laying down their arms. Also, an Iraqi parliamentarian has admitted that a U.S.-Iraqi security deal is not imminent. Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki had said it was settled, but U.S. authorities denied it was a done deal.
In Mosul, police killed a would-be suicide bomber and two other gunmen. Police also found the body of a doctor who had been kidnapped recently.
Tal Afar police killed a suicide bomber as he was entering a mosque during Friday prayers. The bomber was unable to detonate his explosives.
In Baghdad, one person was killed and another was wounded when a bomb planted on a car exploded in Mansour. A roadside bomb in Yarmouk left no casualties. Also, two dumped bodies were found.
A wanted man was killed during an operation in Tikrit.
Four wanted men were captured in different areas of Ninewa province. Separate security operations netted 14 more.
Five suspects were detained in Wassit.
In Muqdadiyah, security raids resulted in clashes but no casualties were reported.
Compiled by Margaret Griffis
