Updated at 9:10 p.m. EST, Dec. 19, 2009
There was little violence to greet the Islamic New Year, but the oilfield standoff at the Iranian border in Missan province continues. At least five Iraqis were killed and nine more was wounded across the country in northern Iraq.
Although it is unclear if Iranian troops are occupying an oilfield in Missan province, Iraqi troops have amassed nearby, ahead of any possible clashes. Tehran claimed that a 1975 border agreement places the area within their territory. The U.S. says that the Iranian troops left, but oil workers warn they are some still in the area. A Reuters cameraman said that he and several other journalists were prevented from approaching the oilfield and documenting the incident under threat of arrest. A group of Iranian soldiers entered Iraq on Thursday night and set a flag on oil well in a disputed border area. Iran also separately demanded $1 trillion for war damages arising from the Iran-Iraq War.
Eight civilians were wounded when a car bomb exploded in Iskandariya.
In Mosul, gunmen killed a customs agent. A cop was killed in Hay al-Ather, while a civilian was wounded in Yabisat. Gunmen also killed a civilian who was visiting from Tal Afar.
In Kirkuk, the bodies of two kidnap victims were discovered. U.S. forces released eight detainees; the suspects had not been convicted in the courts. A bomb was thrown at the home of a former Iraqi parliamentarian but no casualties were reported.
Kidnappers abducted the son of the Diwaniya traffic-police chief. They demanded a ransom and his resignation.
A Jaysh al-Rashideen suspect was picked up in Rashad.
Fallujah police released 25 innocent detainees.
Three suspects were arrested in Dhi Qar.
A suspected special-groups leader was arrested in Kut.
