Updated at 11:50 p.m. EDT, July 8. 2009
Mosul erupted in a spasm of violence today as at least six explosions took the lives of over a dozen residents. At least 32 Iraqis were killed and 90 more were wounded there and across Iraq. No Coalition deaths were reported, but a U.S. soldier is facing a court martial in the slayings of his superior and another soldier at a base south of Baghdad last year. Meanwhile, Iraqi lawmakers warned Israel that use of Iraqi airspace during a strike on Iran would be considered an attack against Iraq.
Sgt. Joseph Bozicevich could face a life sentence or even the death penalty if found guilty in the deaths of two U.S. soldiers at a base south of Baghdad last year. His superior was discussing Bozicevich’s poor performance, when Bozicevich shot him and the man who was to replace Bozicevich as leader of a four-man team.
In Mosul, a pair of simultaneous car bombs took place at 8:00 p.m. The first explosion occurred in the outlying village of Sada Wa Baaweza, home to the Shabak ethnic group, and claimed the lives of 12 people, while wounding another 28 Iraqis. In Gubba, a Turkmen village, the other car bomb killed seven people and wounded 11 more.
Elsewhere in Mosul, seven people were wounded when a hand grenade was lobbed at them. A roadside bomb wounded a woman in Nables. Another bomb, this one in Ras al-Jada, wounded a civilian. Another person was wounded in a sixth explosion. Gunmen also wounded a policeman and a soldier in separate shootings. Police killed a man for unknown reasons. an Iraqi soldier was killed at a checkpoint.
Four people were killed and at least 19 others were wounded at a wedding in Mussayab. The groom was among the dead.
Katyusha rockets killed two people and wounded seven in Garma al-Fallujah.
In Abu Ghraib, a bomb killed a man and his son as they were working in their garden. Five men were wounded in a neighboring home.
A bomb left on a highway between Jalawla and Saidiya killed one person and wounded three others.
Police were approaching a car in Zamar when a bomb inside the vehicle blew up. Two passengers were killed.
Three Iraqis were wounded in Amara, when a bomb targeting a U.S. patrol blasted them instead.
A bomb in Bab Sinjar wounded a woman.
An Iranian labor activist was arrested in Kut on suspicion of being a “special groups” member. “Special groups” refers to Iranian-backed militant groups.
Ammunition was confiscated in Kirkuk. Gunmen injured a policeman.
A suspect was arrested in Hawija.
