At least six Iraqis were killed and 12 more were wounded during light violence across the country. An American soldier was wounded in a small arms attack in Baghdad as well. Also, eight mortar rounds struck a U.S. base in Balad; no casualties were as yet reported.
A Sunni minister of parliament alleged that Kurdish militias are staging attacks against Christians in Mosul. The reason is that they want to engineer a better political climate for Kurds in the culturally diverse city. The central government has pledged to investigate the surge in violence.
Meanwhile, one civilian was killed and another was wounded in a drive-by shooting. Two policemen were wounded in a roadside bombing. A concussion grenade damaged a Christian church, but no casualties were reported. Separately, a suspect was arrested and a weapons cache was confiscated. Thirty-five suspects were detained during security operations. A Kuwaiti suspect was arrested as well.
In Baghdad, a roadside bomb wounded three people in Talbiyah. In Camp Sara, three policemen were wounded when an adhesive bomb lured them to a second explosion; two civilians were wounded as well. One body was found in Jamiya.
Two dumped bodies were found in Kut.
U.S. forces killed two suspects and arrested 13 others across northern and central Iraq.
Police captured a number of suspects and confiscated weaponry in Diwaniya.
Two caches of C4 explosives were discovered in Fazaiya.
U.S. forces in Fallujah released 50 suspects who were found innocent of all charges.
Police in Amara found missiles, landmines and other explosives.
An explosion blasted a gas pipeline in Kirkuk, but no casualties nor damages were reported.
In Turkey, Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) staged an attack that left five Turkish soldiers wounded. Ten days ago bloody clashes between the PKK and Turkish soldiers triggered a Turkish air strike campaign on suspected PKK targets in Iraq. The PKK has denied that the attacks are coming from rebels based across the border; however, the PKK does have a number of rebels stationed across northern Iraq. Today, Iraqi officials received a Turkish delegation for talks on the situation.
Compiled by Margaret Griffis
