Updated at 8:58 p.m. EST, Feb. 3, 2009
At least four Iraqis were killed and another 15 were wounded in today’s attacks. No Coalition deaths were reported. Back in the U.S., Christopher Hill was named to be the next American ambassador to Iraq, replacing Ryan Crocker.
In election news, the Iraqi Islamic Party (IIP) accused Anbar tribes of trying to incite violence following their accusation of fraud on the part of the IIP and threats of taking up arms to insure voter’s will. Meanwhile, once election results are announced, a new power structure could mean a solution to a dispute over a hydrocarbon law; the head of South Oil also hopes for the return of the Iraqi National Oil company as part of the law.
A Baghdad security spokesperson said that a woman responsible for training female suicide bombers was captured at an undisclosed location. She supervised the training of over 80 women, and 28 of them carried out suicide attacks across Baghdad and Diyala provinces.
In Baquba, a bomb killed three people and wounded three others. At least one other bomb blast took place, wounding as many as another three people.
In Mosul, witnesses say that a U.S. patrol fired randomly upon a group of people in order to clear a path for themselves; one woman and her two daughters were hurt in the incident. A body was found. A roadside bomb targeting a U.S. patrol injured four Iraqis instead.
In Kirkuk, a roadside bomb injured two civilians. Three gunmen were detained. Joint security forces safely detonated a bomb just outside of town. A mortar fell onto a home but failed to to explode or cause casualties. Also, Kurdish security forces arrested a suspected suicide bomber.
In Baghdad, security forces arrested 11 suspects and defused 71 bombs. Also, a roadside bomb targeting a U.S. patrol in the Shabb district left no casualties.
No casualties were reported after a bomb blasted a U.S. patrol in Latifiya.
Security forces today withdrew from polling station in Hamdaniya.
Near Jalawla in Baniera village, police arrested four suspects believed involved in a kidnapping plot that took place several months ago.
Ten suspects were detained in Basra.
A weapons cache was found in Garma.
U.S. officials expect to release 50 Iraqi detainees a day a required by a U.S.-Iraqi security agreement. Any Iraqis in custody but not wanted by Iraqi security will be freed.
Compiled by Margaret Griffis
