Vehicle bans continued in Christian areas of Ninewa province. Across the country however, at least 10 Iraqis were killed and 13 more were wounded. One of the victims may have been dead since the Iran-Iraq War. Meanwhile, several legal cases are winding their way through Spanish, British, and even U.S. military courts. Also, one U.S. soldier died of non-combat injuries yesterday in Baghdad.
A Spanish court dropped charges against three U.S. soldiers who killed a Spanish journalist during the 2003 invasion of Iraq. The judge ruled that there was no evidence that the soldiers acted incorrectly, considering they were in a war situation. The soldiers said they were returning fire when they shot at a hotel housing Western journalists, including cameraman Jose Couso. A second journalist was also killed.
In Iraq, two U.S. soldiers were charged with illegally filming and photographing female soldiers as they were taking showers at Fort Dix, New Jersey. The men then distributed the videos and photographs. The soldiers, who are now stationed in Basra, face up to 18 and 12 years in jail respectively if convicted. The incidents took place during pre-deployment.
Twenty-five Iraqis, most of them interpreters, are suing the United Kingdom for not properly protecting them from extremists. At the height of violence, interpreters and anyone else working with Coalition troops were targeted for violence and death.
In Mosul, a bomb killed one policeman and wounded three more in the Shefaa district. Two civilians were killed in a shooting incident in Umal. Also, gunmen stormed a home in Tink and killed a woman.
In Baghdad, a shootout on the Mohammed al-Qassem highway left two policemen and a gunman dead. A bomb at a Doura café wounded 10 civilians.
A dumped body was found near Baquba in Sharwin village. In what may be the same incident, a policeman’s nephew was kidnapped and killed near Baquba. .
Workers near Halabja discovered a soldier’s body. The soldier is believed to have died over 20 years ago during the Iran-Iraq war.
A boy was tortured and killed in Fallujah; his tormentors were arrested in Saqlawiya. Residents protested the arrest of current and former police chiefs on terror charges. The Interior Ministry is behind the arrests.
A roadside bomb in Tal Afar left no casualties. A motorcycle ban is in effect.
Dhi Qar police were tipped off to a large weapons cache.
Ammunition and arms were discovered in Karbala.
Eleven suspects, including females, were detained during a raid in Muqdadiya.
Eight wanted men turned themselves in to the army in Garma.
Two suspects were detained in Makhmour.
Talks between Missan governor and the Iranian consul in Basra over an international border crossing in the province took place on Tuesday. The governor expects the al-Sheb crossing near Amara will reopen soon.
