A second day of intensified attacks left at least 145 Iraqis Killed and 379 more wounded. The attacks, mostly bombings, seemed to focus on security personnel in Sunni-dominated areas. Several more bombs were defused, while others exploded without leaving casualties. A large number of attacks and casualties always leads to conflicting figures as separate authorities report different numbers. Also, more casualties are expected in at least Taji where bombs demolished several residential buildings.
Yesterday, violence struck south of the capital after a short respite from a surge in attacks that began in June. The deadliest day last month saw 107 dead and 384 wounded, but at least 500 were killed throughout the month.
Today’s deadliest attack occurred in Taji where at least 42 people were killed in a series of five or six explosions. Security forces were successfully targeted, but the bombs also leveled a row of civilian homes. Residents were seen digging through the rubble looking for even more casualties. One suicide bomber may have been involved. About 40 people were wounded.
Militants attacked a base in Duluiya killing 15 security personnel and wounding four more. A fifth soldier was kidnapped.
Thirteen soldiers were killed in an attack on their base in Udhaim. Twenty-three more were wounded when forces chased the fleeing insurgents and were struck by several bombs.
Sixteen people were killed and at least 29 more were wounded in a blast targeting government offices in Sadr City.
In Mosul and Baaj, at least 11 people were killed in attacks. One suicide bomber was also killed before he could do any harm. At least eighteen people were wounded.
Eleven people were killed and 40 more were wounded in various attacks on checkpoints in Diyala province.
In Baghdad, three people were killed and 31 others were wounded in a blast at a Husseiniya restaurant. Three more people were wounded in a separate blast. A blast killed one person and wounded seven more in Jihad. A sticky bomb killed a police colonel.
Eleven people were killed and at least 39 more were wounded in a series of at least eight bombings in Kirkuk province. One al-Qaeda leader was killed, while another insurgent killed himself in jail.
A bomb in Diwaniya killed five people and wounded 35 others. An angry crowd then marched on government buildings in protest over the failure in security. One protestor was killed and at least two-dozen more were wounded.
Bombs in Tuz Khormato left one dead and 40 wounded.
A motorcycle bomb in Muqdadiya killed two people and wounded 11 more when it exploded in a marketplace.
One person was killed and nine more were wounded in a bombing in Tarmiya.
A car bomb killed one soldier and wounded 10 more in Heet.
Three people were killed and six more were wounded in other attacks in Salah ad-Din province.
Gunmen stormed a policeman’s home in Balad, where they wounded four family members.
Four policemen were killed and four more were wounded in a motorcycle bomb in Ramadi.
Twelve policemen were wounded in a landmine blast in Sinjar.
