Updated at 11:10 p.m. EST, March 25, 2010
Thanks to security concerns, Interior Minister Jawad al-Bolani demanded a delay of final election results until all parties resolve any allegations of vote manipulation; however, election commission head Faraj al-Haydari has said there is no need for a recount. No definite pre-release surge in violence has been noted, but at least 12 Iraqis were killed and 30 more were wounded in the latest attacks.
In Libya, Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari walked out of an Arab League meeting in response to Moammar Gadhafi’s public support of Saddam loyalists, whom the Libyan leader met with earlier this week. Maliki asked for the delegation’s withdrawal.
In Baghdad, gunmen stormed a home in Jisr Diyala where they killed a woman and her daughter. An Awakening Council leader was killed and two companions were wounded during a blast in al-Ray. The justice ministry released 62 innocent detainees.
Two people were killed and six more were wounded in Touz Khormato when a bomb exploded near a police motorcade.
In Kirkuk, two policemen were wounded in a blast on Korneesh Street. Gunmen wounded a civilian. Gunmen on a bridge threw a grenade at a passing police patrol boat, injuring two policemen and a civilian. A Turkmen physician was kidnapped. A large weapons cache was found.
In Fallujah, a bomb wounded three people. Three gunmen were wounded when the bomb they were planting exploded prematurely.
A suicide bomber killed a policeman and wounded eight more in Ramadi.
In Mosul, a blast wounded a policeman and a child. Iraqi forces killed an al-Qaeda leader during a clash. Six suspects were captured. Police liberated a hostage and arrested the kidnappers.
A hand grenade attack left two policemen dead near Kirkuk.
Security forces killed two suspects during clashes near Mosul in Qada al-Hadar.
Diyala province police deployed 20,000 policemen to prevent violence following election results.
Ten suspects were captured in Basra.
A suspect was picked up in Hawija. Four more suspects were later arrested.
Five suspects were captured in Tikrit. A former Ba’ath Party member allegedly headed the group.
Amara police opened a new police dog department.
Five Iraqis were detained as they tried to enter Iraq illegally near Baaj. Most Iraqis caught crossing the border without proper documents appear to be smugglers.
