Updated at 9:52 p.m. EDT, March 14, 2010
At least nine Iraqis were killed and 10 more were wounded in attacks across northern Iraq. One U.S. soldier was killed and two others were wounded during a mortar attack on a base in Diyala province. Another U.S. soldier died of non-combat causes in Ninewa province.
Partial election returns point towards an overall win for Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s coalition. The State of Law coalition grabbed Basra province and also leads in Wassit province. Meanwhile the Iraqiya group, led by former P.M. Ayad Allawi, is poised to take Kirkuk province. A Kurdish politician in Kirkuk, however, claimed to have evidence that election workers manipulated the vote for the benefit of Allawi. The Kurdish bloc did come in first in Arbil and will likely take Dahuk province. Anbar province is favoring Allawi. Also, a religious-led bloc was just ahead of Maliki’s in Dhi Qar province.
In Mosul, a roadside bomb killed four policemen and wounded two others. Gunmen killed an imam as he was leaving a mosque. Two civilians were killed in crossfire between gunmen and police. A hand-grenade attack left one policeman with injuries. A second grenade attacked wounded a Christian civilian. West of town, gunmen killed a policeman driving a car. A soldier was wounded in a thermal bomb attack.
A bomb in Kirkuk wounded three policemen. Another blast wounded a fourth policeman, while a fifth policeman was wounded in a small arms attack.
Gunmen killed a policeman in Tal Abta.
An arms cache was found in Tal Afar.
