At least seven Iraqis were killed and 27 wounded in new violence. One U.S. soldier died of non-combat injuries as well. Also, former British Prime Minister John Major said that the Iraq War seemed focused on regime change instead of weapons of mass destruction, which was the given reason for the war.
Many Iraqis are outraged that the case against Blackwater Worldwide (now Xe Services) fell apart and consider the dismissal proof that U.S. contractors operate above Iraqi law. Iraq has vowed to appeal or take other measures to seek justice for the 17 Iraqis killed in Nisour Square two years ago. As part of the fallout, an undersecretary from Ministry of the Interior said that their contract with Blackwater Worldwide would not renewed.
In Baghdad, one person was killed and 21 others were wounded when a pair of blasts hit 20th Street in Bayaa. Two young men were wounded when a bomb attached to their car exploded in Jamiaa. A roadside bomb in Qahira wounded one policeman.
Gunmen killed an army officer in Sadr City.
In Mosul, gunmen killed two police officers. An I.E.D. wounded an Iraqi soldier. A Christian man was kidnapped. Police killed a gunman who attacked a checkpoint in al- Majmouaa al-Thaqafiya then tried to flee. A similar incident in Shurta left another gunman dead. Officials were able to reopen the airport after a security contract was renewed. A bomb factory was found. Yesterday, gunmen killed a goldsmith and bomb wounded one soldier.
In Kirkuk, gunmen wounded a high-ranking member of a political party.
An armed groups leader was arrested in Ghadeer.
A Sinjar police officer was arrested for switching his colleagues’ salaries with counterfeit money.
Police in Karbala found a weapons cache and arrested a counterfeiter.
Twenty-two suspects were arrested across Basra province.
Demonstrators in Ramadi demanded the death penalty for the bombers responsible for Wednesday’s deadly blasts.
