Updated at 6:15 p.m. EDT, June 5, 2008
At least 20 Iraqis were killed and six more were wounded during mostly light violence. A U.S. soldier was killed south of Baghdad during a small arms attack. Separately, gunmen killed a Coalition soldier from the former Soviet state of Georgia. Also, clashes near the Iraq-Iran border left a number of casualties. Two foreign fighters were killed in Shurqat as well.
Twelve gunmen and four Iranian guards were killed near the Iraqi border during clashes. Iran recently escalated attacks against suspected Party of Free Life of Kurdistan (PJAK) rebel locations in northeastern Iraq. No casualties have been reported on the Iraqi side. PJAK is an offshoot of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has sought an independent Kurdistan in Turkey. The Kurdish areas in Iraq are autonomous, and many rebels are using the region for their bases. Turkey, which has also launched operations into Iraq, announced that they have been sharing information on the rebels with Iran.
In Baghdad, three more deaths were reported in association with yesterday’s Karrada bombing. Two dumped bodies were found today. An Iraqi soldier was killed in a roadside bomb blast in Rashid. A bomb targeting a U.S. patrol in Jihad failed to leave casualties. Meanwhile, a Sadrist member of Parliament said her motorcade was prevented from leaving Sadr City and her bodyguards were arrested by Iraqi forces.
Five gunmen were killed and five more were detained during Coalition raids in Abu Saida.
In Shurqat, five Iraqi gunmen and two foreign fighters were killed during a clash with Awakening Council (Sahwa) members.
One gunman was killed and two colleagues were arrested during a raid in Fallujah.
Three people were injured during a roadside bombing in Buhriz.
In Baquba, an al-Qaeda suspect was shot and killed by unknown assailants. He had been recently released from detention at Camp Bucca. Three al-Qaeda suspects were killed. One was Tunisian.
Mortars striking Khanaqin wounded three civilians.
Two “special groups” leader were detained in separate raids south of the capital. The U.S. military used the term “special groups” to describe Shi’ite fighters they believe are receiving support from Iran.
Five suspects were detained near the Hamrin Mountains.
In Mosul, a senior leader in the al-Mustafa Army was detained.
Nineteen suspects were captured in Basra.
Compiled by Margaret Griffis
