Updated at 10:55 p.m. EDT, Aug. 19, 2008
At least 66 Iraqis were killed and another 26 more were wounded. Among the dead were PKK rebels killed by Turkish forces. A mass grave was also found. Also, the governor’s office in Diyala province was raided by security forces or gunmen dressed as policemen. One U.S. servicemember was killed as well. Also, the son of a leading Sunni politician was picked up by Iraqi forces.
A U.S. soldier was killed during a rocket attack at a base near Amara. In what may be the same incident, the Iraqi army base in Missan was rocketed, but no casualties were reported. The base is north of Amara at the al-Betiera airport.
Iraqi security forces detained the son of a leading Sunni parliamentarian on terrorism charges. Adnan Dulaimi, head of the Accordance Front, rejoined the al-Maliki government only a few weeks ago, hoping to ease tensions between his family, his employees and the central government. He denied that charges and said he would have preferred U.S. forces to have picked up his son, because he does not trust the Iraqi government to release him. Another one of this Dulaimi’s sons was detained last Decemeber. As a Parliament member, Dulaimi has amnesty against charges unless grave ones are proven. He has been forced to use Kurdish bodyguards to avoid having them arrested by security forces.
Iraqi troops stormed the offices of the governor in the restive Diyala province. The governor’s secretary was killed and four other employees were wounded. A deputy governor was also beaten. At least two civilians were injured in the crossfire. A university professor and a provincial council leader were detained. A three-day mourning period has been imposed on the province.
Twenty decomposed bodies were discovered in an orchard north of Baquba near Khalis.
To the east of Baquba in the village of Bauzel, another 15 bodies were found in a mass grave.
A Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) spokesperson said that 23 rebels were killed over the last month in areas of north Iraq that came under Turkish attack. The separatists are hoping to create an autonomous Kurdish state in parts of five countries, including Turkey. The incidents occurred in Zab and the Qandil mountains.
In Baghdad, one person was killed and four were wounded during a roadside bomb attack in Ubaidi. In Zaafaraniya, a civilian was killed by another roadside bomb. One person was killed and three others were wounded during a small arms attack at a checkpoint. Also, one gunman was killed and 14 more were detained.
A bomb in Muqdadiyah killed one person and wounded four more members of the same family.
A car bomb wounded four people in Talkeef.
The casualty figures from yesterday’s boming in Ramadi were raised by two deaths and four injured to seven killed and 11 wounded total.
Five suspects were arrested in Kirkuk.
An al-Qaeda suspect was arrested in Zab.
In Basra, the Iraqi navy discovered oil smuggling pipes. Four suspects were arrested and a weapons cache was found.
Mortar shelling fell on a pair of television station in Mosul, but no casualties were reported.
Three people were detained in Missan province.
Compiled by Margaret Griffis
