Updated at 9:00 p.m. EDT, Sept. 9, 2008
President Bush announced that no more U.S. troops will come home from Iraq until after the next president takes office. Meanwhile, U.S forces released an Iraqi cameraman from detention, and the Iraqi parliament convened in Baghdad. At least 15 Iraqis were killed and 33 more were wounded in the latest violence. No Coalition deaths were reported.
The Iraqi lawmakers convened for their fall session after waiting a couple of hours to reach a quorum. Among the issues still pending from the last session are a contentious elections law and a U.S.-Iraqi security agreement. Growing tensions in the Kurdish community will also be taken under consideration.
U.S. forces released an Iraqi cameraman after a week in detention. In a phone interview, Omar Hisham said that and his family members were detained, because U.S. forces believed he had information on a sniper. Another photojournalist detained last week is still in custody. U.S. authorities maintain they have the right to indefinitely detain anyone they believe is a threat to security and have held many innocent people on this basis.
In Baghdad, one person was killed and seven others were wounded in Baladiyat when a bomb was detonated. An Iraqi army major general and two bodyguards were wounded in a bomb blast in Harthiya. A bomb placed on a car belonging to an al-Arabiya TV bureau chief failed to harm anyone in Salihiya. Late in the day, three civilians were wounded during a bombing in Mansour. Nine people were wounded by a roadside bomb that blew up around 9 p.m. in Wathiq Square. A bomb in Beirut Square wounded two more. Two unidentified bodies were found dumped. Also, curfew hours have been cut down for Ramadan, and two bombs in Zayouna were safely defused.
In Mosul, gunmen killed an local aid official. An off-duty police officer was killed at his home in an eastern neighborhood. A body was found in a western neighborhood. Also, two policemen were killed in Badoush.
A roadside bomb killed one man and wounded two others in Daquq.
In Tarmiyah, a pushcart bomb killed one person and wounded two more at a checkpoint.
A policeman was killed and three others were wounded in Ishaqi.
A man was killed and his son was wounded as they were driving north of Hilla.
A drive-by shooting left one dead and one wounded near Mussayab.
Near Suwayra, gunmen killed a man.
A man was killed in a drive-by shooting in Kut.
Since June, over 1000 families have returned to their homes in Diyala province.
In Zubair, five suspects were captured and a hostage was freed.
Two suspects in Tal Afar were captured.
Five suspects were detained in Kirkuk. Three of them were caught planting a bomb.
Compiled by Margaret Griffis