At least five Iraqis were killed and eight more were wounded in light violence. Meanwhile, Iraq began disarming private contractors in what appears to be a response to the dismissal of U.S. court case against Blackwater.
Iraqi forces began confiscating arms from private security contractors that are no longer licensed to operate in Iraq. The operation comes a week after U.S. judge dismissed a court case involving five Blackwater Worldwide guards accused of murdering Iraqi civilians in a controversial 2007 shootout. The dismissal infuriated Iraqis who believe it underscores the lawlessness in which U.S. contractors have operated throughout Iraq. The U.S. State Department said it will review the handling of the case.
A pair of newlyweds was shot dead in a home northeast of Arbil in Souran village.
In Mosul, a 16-year-old was killed in a blast. Two brothers were killed when the mortar they were launching exploded on them.
In Baghdad, a bomb blast wounded four people in the Zayouna neighborhood. Celebrations are underway to mark the 88th anniversary of the creation of the police.
Two people were wounded near Rashad, when they came across a roadside bomb.
Gunmen wounded a soldier in Kirkuk. A second soldier was wounded in a separate attack.
A U.S. patrol struck a roadside bomb near Diwaniya. No casualties were reported yet.
A dangerous suspect was arrested in Amara.
