A deadly blast shattered an otherwise quiet day in Iraq, where at least 27 Iraqis were killed and 76 more were wounded, almost all of them in Balad Ruz. To the south a possibly accidental chlorine gas explosion brought back memories of the chlorine attacks that marked the height of the sectarian violence several years ago. In better news, a successful trade in Kirkuk liberated two Kurdish women who were kidnapped a day earlier.
Although Anbar province took the brunt of today’s attacks, Baghdad and Mosul also saw a surge in violence. At least 40 Iraqis were killed and 109 more were wounded in those and a few other attacks. An American soldier died of unknown causes in Babel province as well. Meanwhile, the death toll in yesterday’s massive triple bombing in Basra rose to 43 dead; about 185 others were wounded.
Updated at 8:20 p.m. EDT, Aug. 6, 2010
A rash of attacks in Baghdad today highlighted a trend towards attacking vulnerable traffic policemen. At least seven Iraqis were killed and 29 more were wounded in those and other attacks In Baghdad. Meanwhile, al-Qaeda is offering to pay Sunnis to return fighting alongside them against the government. Also, the U.N. is reporting that 25 percent of Iraqis live below the poverty line and 30 percent are unemployed.
