At least 20 Iraqis were killed and seven more were wounded in a series of small but deadly attacks. Politicians, meanwhile, continued to stoke political tension by engaging in mass arrests.
A committee investing terrorism charges against Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi said that 35 of his guards and staff were rounded-up for interrogation. The vice president has been in Iraqi Kurdistan since Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki accused Hashemi of ties to terrorists. It is a charge that many believe to be politically motivated. Separately, perhaps, the deputy mayor of Khalis gave Kurdistan three days to hand over Hashemi or he will have all area roads to the Kurdish region closed.
Nineteen officials and tribal leaders were arrested after they allegedly threatened M.P. Sherwan al-Waili,who claimed they were involved in corruption. The arrests included Baghdad’s vice mayor. Waili is a member of the prime minister’s political party.
In Mosul, two Shabak men were killed in a small arms attack. Gunmen killed a policeman in a separate shooting. A Christian nurse was also killed.
Gunmen killed two soldiers in Falluja. Four more were killed in what may be a separate shooting.
A civilian was killed and three more people were wounded when their home in Ameriya was blown up.
In Baiji, an I.E.D. killed a Sahwa member and wounded three others.
A suspect and a policeman were killed during a raid in Qayara.
A shepherd was killed when he stepped on a landmine near the Iranian border in Shwan.
Near Hilla, the body of a young man was found in the Euphrates River. He had been shot.
A woman was killed in Samawa.
A relative was killed a police officer was wounded in Hawija when gunmen fired upon the officer’s home.
In Baghdad, a shooting late last night left one police officer dead.
An al-Qaeda suspect was killed during a clash in Rufaila. Nineteen others were arrested.
No casualties were reported after a barbershop was blown up in Kirkuk.
