Updated at 6:43 p.m. EDT, May 11, 2009
Six U.S. soldiers were killed in two alarming events today, one of them a mass murder by a fellow soldier. At least 14 Iraqis were killed and 18 more were wounded in other attacks. Meanwhile, Australia announced its Iraq mission will come to an end in July. Also, the U.S. demanded that Syria stop the flow of fighters through its borders, while Iran demanded that Iraq deal with Kurdish rebels near its border.
A U.S. soldier killed five fellow Americans at a stress-counseling center in Baghdad. A military official separately said that three other people were wounded. Yesterday, a U.S. soldier was killed in a roadside bomb attack in Basra province, where U.S. soldiers recently took over security from British soldiers. One report, which could be describing a separate incident, said the bombing took place in al-Siba. The British had an uneasy "truce" with Shi’ite groups in Basra. Whether this "truce" will remain in place for U.S. forces remains to be seen.
Iran asked Iraq to “pay special attention” to armed group operating in border areas. The demand came after Iraqi complaints over cross-border shelling last week. The shelling occurred just days after suspected Party of Free Life of Kurdistan (PJAK) rebels killed police in Iran. The PJAK are Kurdish rebels seeking an independent homeland for Iran’s large Kurdish minority. They often launch attacks from located in sparsely populated areas of Iraq. Not surprisingly, Iran frequently launches artillery attacks without seeking Iraqi permission. Also, Five PJAK members were reported killed in shelling that reached targets in Iraq yesterday, but several Iranian shells mistakingly fell on Turkish territory too.
Australia will formally end its combat mission in Iraq on July 31, but about 100 soldiers will remain to protect Australian diplomats and assist the United Nations.
In other international security news, the U.S. asked Syria to immediately try to stem the flow of foreign fighters, particularly Tunisians, into Iraq.
In Mosul, the body of a five-year-old Christian boy was discovered; the kidnappers had asked for a ransom when they abducted the boy 10 days ago. Gunmen killed an off-duty police officer and wounded a second person at a market. One guard was killed and another was wounded during a small arms attack at a municipal building. Over 1,000 new police recruits graduated from the police academy. An army brigadier was shot dead. A roadside bomb killed two Iraqi policemen and wounded four others including a civilian. A bomb on the other side of town killed a civilian and wounded three policemen.
A bomb killed two people and wounded eight others near a Kirkuk mosque. A missile cache was discovered.
Four bodies were discovered in Tarmiyah. One belonged to a traffic officer.
In Baghdad, a senior traffic officer was assassinated. Mortars hit the Green Zone but no casualties were reported.
Eleven suspects were detained just south of Amara. Their weapons were confiscated, as was 41 I.E.D.s discovered elsewhere.
Nineteen suspects were arrested in Karbala.
Twenty suspects were captured in Diyala province. A man suspected of belonging to al-Qaeda was caught as well.
A large amount of C4 explosives and 187 detonators were discovered near Nasariya.
An explosive belt and rockets were discovered near Fallujah.
Missan police received a robot that can remotely defuse bombs.
