Updated at 6:26 p.m. EDT, June 26, 2009
A significant bombing in Baghdad reminded residents of more violent prayer days when marketplace attacks were common. Otherwise, the prayer day was fairly quiet. Overall, at least 22 Iraqis were killed and 54 more were wounded. Two U.S. soldiers were killed in separate incidents. Elite Iraqi troops, meanwhile, are preparing to take security voer from U.S. troops next week.
One U.S. soldier was killed Wednesday in a vehicular accident. A second U.S. soldier died of injuries received in a non-combat incident.
In Baghdad, a bomb planted on a motorcycle at a cycle market near the Nahda Garage killed 19 people and wounded at least 47 more. During the height of sectarian violence, bombings at Baghdad marketplaces commonly followed Friday prayer services. Baghdad Operations Command (BOC) said the U.S. withdrawal of troops from Iraqi cities will not be affected by these new attacks. Late in the day, a bomb in Bayaa killed one person and wounded three others.
In Mosul, an Iraqi soldier was killed and two more were wounded during a roadside bomb blast. Iraqi soldiers killed a man planting a bomb. Three people were captured while booby-trapping cars. A judge accused police commandos of assaulting judges in Ninewa under the pretense of involement with gunmen.
Two children were wounded when a roadside bomb exploded in Kashmoula.
Four Katyusha rockets were confiscated near Nasariya. Police also defused what turned out to be a fake explosive device planted on a street.
