Only two Iraqis were killed in an unusually light day of violence. Meanwhile, the Iraq government has freed the leader of Asa’ib al-Haq or the League of the Righteous.
Qais al-Khazali, the leader of Asa’ib al-Haq, was ostensibly released as part of a loose deal that allowed British hostage Peter Moore to return to freedom. Khazali was transferred from U.S. custody to the Iraqis last month. Although officials are denying the transfer of Khazali to Iraqi authorities was critical to Moore’s release, Khazali’s brother Liath was released at about the same time the bodies of three of Moore’s bodyguards were returned. The whereabouts of a fourth bodyguard are unknown. Officials are expecting his body will be handed over soon.
In Mosul, two suspects were killed during joint U.S.-Iraqi operations; 21 others were arrested.
Several people were arrested after Tal Afar police found an explosives belt near the home of a recently assassinated city leader.
Iranian forces captured two Iraqi fishermen in the Shatt al-Arab River. The river straddles the border, where fishermen are frequently harassed for alleged border crossings.
Two children were liberated and 11 people were arrested in Basra province.
Nine suspects were detained in Ramadi.
Two suspects were detained in Rashad.
In Kirkuk, police arrested five suspects. Separately, a police spokesman released the official number of casualties for Kirkuk in 2009. At least 226 people were killed and 675 were wounded. Another 35 suspects were also killed and 31 bodies were discovered.
General Dynamics won a contract to build 140 tanks for the Iraqi army.
