Updated at 11:34 p.m. EST, Dec. 21, 2009
At least 14 Iraqis were killed and 21 were wounded across Iraq. A bomber struck a heavy blow to the Tal Afar city council, while several small bombings kept Baghdad on edge. In the south, Shi’ite pilgrims are making their way to the holy city of Karbala for Ashura observances. Security has been tightened across Iraq to protect the travelers.
A suicide bomber attacked a convoy carrying a Tal Afar city council chief, who was not only a Sunni politician but also a member of the Turkmen minority. The chief and three bodyguards were killed. As many as seven others were wounded, including another council member. The nine-car convoy was attacked by a suicide bomber was reported to be less than 20-years-old. A curfew is in effect.
In Baghdad, a bomb affixed to a car wounded the driver, but also killed a police officer and wounded a bystander on Matar al-Muthanna Road. A bomb in Karrada wounded two people. In Baladiyat, two more civilians were wounded in a blast, but in Adel two policemen were wounded in yet another explosion. Late in the evening, a sticky bomb on a car in Atafiya left one civilian dead.
In Mosul, two policemen were wounded in a thermal bomb attack, while gunmen killed a policeman in a separate attack. Gunmen stormed the home of two policemen, killing them and wounding their mother. A civilian was killed in another small arms attack.
In Kirkuk, gunmen killed a policeman. An 18-year-old girl was wounded in another small arms attack. No casualties were reported after a sticky bomb attack on a police officer’s vehicle. Last night, an off-duty Peshmerga fighter was killed in a shooting. A police officer died of injuries sustained last week; he was moved to a hospital in Suleimaniya.
A bomb in Saidiya wounded a civilian. Two Naqshabandiya Army members were arrested.
A bomb attached to his car wounded a policeman in Fallujah.
Suwayra police confiscated 200 rockets they suspect were readied for use against Ashura pilgrims.
Police in Garma arrested two suspects after defusing three bombs.
Thirteen suspects were arrested across Basra province.
Two al-Qaeda suspects were captured in northern Wassit province.
Police dogs will be deployed in Karbala to protect pilgrims during the Ashura observance.
In Ramadi, a peaceful demonstration was held in response to Iran’s incursion into the Fekka oil field.
