Monday: 5 Iraqis Killed, 8 Wounded

Updated at 10:33 p.m. EDT, Mar. 22, 2010

At least five Iraqis were killed and eight more were wounded in the latest violence. The State of Law and Iraqiya parties have apparently begun the process of creating a new government. Because neither party achieved a majority victory, they are forced to ask smaller parties to join them. This is expected to be a long, difficult process.

In Baghdad, six civilians were wounded in a blast in the New Baghdad district. Last night in Bayaa, the head of Iraqi press syndicate was targeted by gunfire; his driver was wounded.

Two Sadr City municipal officials were killed in a small arms attack.

Gunmen killed two policemen in Radwaniya.

A blast in Hawija wounded a policeman. No casualties were reported after a blast at another policeman’s home.

In Mosul, an electrician was killed in a small arms attack.

Joint U.S. and Iraqi teams captured six al-Qaeda suspects in separate operations near Baghdad and Mosul.

Twenty-six suspects were detained in Balad Ruz.

Nineteen suspects were arrested in Basra province.

Two al-Qaeda suspects were captured in Suwayra.

A Syrian man was detained near the border at Waleed. He was carrying arms and drugs.

Diyala province began integrating 18,000 Awakening Council (Sahwa) into regular security forces.

Author: Margaret Griffis

Margaret Griffis is a journalist from Miami Beach, Florida and has been covering Iraqi casualties for Antiwar.com since 2006.