Updated at 12:25 a.m. EDT, April 16, 2007
A second day of heavy violence gripped Iraq. At least 109 Iraqis were killed or found dead today and another 173 were wounded in attacks. Another 36 people were kidnapped in three separate events. Also, military sources reported the deaths of five U.S. and two British servicemembers in separate incidents. The Britons died in a helicopter crash; in an unrelated incident, a U.S. helicopter was struck by gunfire.
The U.S. military announced that a soldier was killed during a small arms attack today in southern Baghdad. A Marine died yesterday during combat operations in Anbar province. Another servicemember was killed yesterday, south of Baghdad, when a roadside bomb blew up near a foot patrol. A soldier on pass in Qatar died from non-combat related causes yesterday. And, a fifth U.S. servicemember died in a roadside bomb attack in Southern Iraq on Friday.
Two British soldiers were killed in an accidental helicopter crash. A U.S. helicopter made a "precautionary landing" after being struck by gunfire; the passengers were unhurt.
Eleven people were kidnapped from a fake checkpoint near Fallujah. Another eight were taken from a fake checkpoint in Baquba, and 17 were abducted at another phony checkpoint, this one in Hibhib.
In Baghdad, 30 dumped bodies were found. Two coordinated car bombs at the al Shurta marketplace killed 17 people and wounded 50 others. Another car bomb killed 9 and wounded 17 in the Karrada area; later, two more bombs killed another five and wounded 27 in the central Baghdad district. In the Kadhimiya neighborhood, a suicide bomber killed at least eight and wounded 11 on a small bus. A bomb in Doura wounded one civilian. Three policemen were wounded in an bombing in Jadiriyah.
Four people were killed and 16 wounded when two oil trucks driven by suicide bombers exploded outside an Iraqi base near Mosul. Two car bombs in town killed two civilians and wounded 17 more. Three gunmen were killed in separate incidents, while a former Iraqi army officer survived an attempt on his life.
The bodies of six fuel tank drivers, one an Iranian, were found in Diyala province.
In a drive-by shooting in the city of Baji, a police colonel and policeman were killed, two more senior officers were wounded.
Two bodies were found in Khalidiya; they bore gunshot and torture wounds.
The body of a local al Qaeda leader was found in Ramadi.
The Iraqi army reported killing four militants and injured 17 others in different areas of the country.
Eight civilians were injured when a U.S. patrol was repelling and attack on them in Duluiya.
An assassination attempt on the border director of Salah ad Din province resulted in the deaths of two policemen and injury to a third officer.
The bodies of four policemen were found in Fallujah. In a village south of town, clashes broke out between Iraqi police and gunmen.
A gunman caught planting explosives in Hilla was killed by U.S. troops.
A former Ba’ath Party member was killed in an explosion in Amara.
Also, residents of Basra are engaged in panicked buying of supplies ahead of large-scale protests scheduled for Monday. One person was killed and three were wounded in crossfire between gunmen and British troops; five gunmen were also killed.
An Iraqi soldier was attacked and killed south of Kirkuk.
Compiled by Margaret Griffis
