Updated at 11:36 p.m. EDT, July 15, 2009
At least 14 Iraqis were killed and 69 more were wounded on what would have been a quiet day if not for a bombing in Ramadi. The bombing and an unrelated arrest in another Anbar city may signal that the quiet province could once again see regular violence from Sunni militias.
Six people were killed and 25 more were wounded when a suicide bomber drove a loaded minibus to a checkpoint in Ramadi. Many of the victims were policemen. Although Anbar province has been stable since the birth of the Awakening Council (Sahwa) movement, violence has ticked up slowly since authority over the Sahwa was given to the Iraqi government late last year.
One issue facing the Sahwa is whether the Iraqi government will hound them for their previous association with al-Qaeda elements. Members turned their back on al-Qaeda when the Councils formed. Yesterday though, a former police chief from Fallujah and his deputy were arrested on such charges. Colonel Faisal Ismail was known to have had militant involvement with the 1920 Brigades when he was hired to clean up Fallujah. Whether this or new accusations are the cause of the arrests was not reported, but the Colonel was recently transferred to Anbar’s highway protection force.
Five people were killed and 34 were wounded at a funeral of a Shi’ite tribal leader in Sadr City.
In Baghdad, ten people were wounded in a bomb attack on Saadoun Street. A motorcycle ban was imposed on the city ahead of Saturday’s religious observances, when Shi’ite pilgrims will visit an important shrine in the Kadhimiya neighborhood. Also, one victim from last night’s bombing in Doura died overnight.
A dumped body was found near Makhmour.
An explosives factory was seized in Suwayra. Separately, three al-Qaeda members were detained.
Seven suspects were detained in Nasariya.
