Updated at 9:41 p.m. EDT, March 20, 2010
No Iraqis were reported killed on the seventh anniversary of the U.S.-led invasion on Iraq. Back in the U.S., however, thousands demonstrators gathered in Washington to protest the war. At least 17 Iraqis were wounded in separate attacks.
In the final stretch of ballot counting, the Iraqiya bloc has again pulled ahead of the State of Law coalition by a few thousand votes, but State of Law still maintains a lead in the number of provinces won. Iraqiya is also demanding the release of one of its candidates who Baghdad authorities claim was supporting armed groups.
In Baghdad, five civilians were wounded during a blast in the Allawi neighborhood.
In Mosul, a pair of blasts in the Ziraie neighborhood left five soldiers wounded. Later, a third bombing wounded two civilians. A hand grenade wounded a patrolman. Two soldiers were wounded in a fifth blast.
Gunmen wearing facility protection uniforms stormed a Kirkuk jewelry store and wounded two brothers. Kirkuk has also implemented tighter security for the Iranian New Year observance.
