While Shi’ites observed the Eid al-Ghadeer holiday, one Shi’ite school in Sadr City suffered a tragic attack. At least 19 Iraqis were killed and 56 more were wounded there and across the country. The bombing comes just as Iraqi officials are hoping to pin down a date in late February for national elections. Full details were not revealed, but Parliament approved a new elections law late yesterday after Sunni and Kurdish objections were apparently resolved.
Updated at 9:45 p.m. EST, Dec. 5, 2009
At least six Iraqis were killed and 13 more were wounded in attacks across Iraq. Meanwhile, lawmakers have apparently reversed an elections law amendment that had delighted Kurd citizens but enraged their Sunni counterparts; however, a conflicting report notes that a quorum was not reached in parliament, imperiling the passage of the law.
Updated at 4:13 p.m. EST, Dec. 4, 2009
At least four Iraqis were killed today and six more were wounded in the latest attacks. With many Iraqi politicians still on holiday, Parliamentary speaker Iyad al-Samarrai fears that a lack of a quorum will prevent discussion of the elections law impasse. Also, Lt. Gen. Sir Anthony Pigott, former deputy chief of the defense staff, testified at a British inquiry, stating that U.S. forces were premature in declaring victory in Iraq.
Updated at 5:04 p.m. EST, Dec. 3, 2009
At least 16 Iraqis were killed and 27 more were wounded in new violence today. In one attack, a significant bombing targeted a police official just north of Baghdad. Also, Vice President Tariq al-Hashemi is willing to discuss the elections law impasse ahead of a Sunday deadline, when he will likely extend his current veto of the bill.
The continuing Eid al-Adha holiday may be limiting reporting from Iraq, but it has not stopped acrimonious reflection on the political process in the country. A compromise on the elections law debate is awaiting Kurdish approval. At least 11 Iraqis were wounded in attacks across central and northern Iraq.
Updated at 8:10 p.m. EST, Nov. 26, 2009
On the eve of Eid al-Adha, at least nine Iraqis were killed and 54 more wounded. The holiday, which commemorates Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son, is set to begin Friday for Sunnis and Saturday for Shi’ites.
Updated at 10:20 EST, Nov. 9, 2009
Iraq is awaiting the presidential commission’s approval of Jan. 21 as the date for the next national election. Yesterday’s passing of a contentious elections law was necessary before a polling timetable could be set. Meanwhile, at least five Iraqis were killed and 16 more were wounded across Iraq. Also, three U.S. servicemembers were killed. three U.S. servicemembers were killed.
Updated at 9:40 EST, Nov. 5, 2009
At least three Iraqis were killed and 29 more were wounded in the latest attacks. Two U.S. soldiers were killed in separate events as well, of which only one was combat related. In Baghdad, a mortar attack wounded seven more American servicemembers. Meanwhile, the head of Iraq’s election commission again warned of delaying the passage of an elections law that will guide January’s national elections, but parliament again failed to pass one.
Updated at 11:19 p.m. EST, Nov. 4, 2009
A series of bomb attacks targeted Iraqis mostly in and around Baghdad while gunmen left casualties elsewhere. Overall, at least six Iraqis were killed while another 26 were wounded. Meanwhile, the Iraqi election commission chairman warned that further delays in approving an elections law would mean postponing national elections in January. Some analysts view the delay as evidence the U.S. has lost clout in Iraq.
Updated at 5:17 p.m. EST, Nov. 1, 2009
Today’s attacks were focused on cities just south and west of the capital. Although at first glance the bombings look to be the work of Sunni extremists, internecine Shi’ite rivalries should not be ruled out as the source of some violence. Overall, as many as 25 Iraqis were killed and 75 more were wounded in the latest reports. Meanwhile, the elections law impasse threatens to delay the U.S. withdrawal from Iraq. At the heart of the problem is the status of multi-ethnic Kirkuk.
