Updated at 8:33 p.m. EDT, April 22, 2010
At least five Iraqis were killed and 23 more were wounded in the latest attacks. Two U.S. servicemembers were wounded as well, during a raid in Anbar province that netted a suspected explosives expert. Military officials, meanwhile, pondered the long term abilities of the Iraqi air force. Also, a Navy SEAL was cleared of charges in a detainee abuse case.
Although all U.S. operations are scheduled to end next year, the lack of sufficient Iraqi air forces has officers from both militaries discussing a "long-term partnership" beyond the 2011 withdrawal date.
A Navy SEAL was cleared of charges relating to the alleged beating of an Iraqi detainee believed to be behind the 2004 deaths of four American contractors. Petty Officer 1st Class Julio Huertas was accused of dereliction of duty and attempting to influence the testimony of another service member. Two more SEALs face similar charges.
Six people were wounded in a blast in Jalawla. The director of Saidiya’s Criminal Investigation Bureau and his family were the victims of the bomb that was planted just outside their home.
A blast killed one person and wounded three others at the Souz home of a counter-insurgency member.
In Baghdad, a sticky bomb attached to a police colonel’s car wounded him and civilian passenger when it exploded near a bridge in Doura; the colonel heads security for western Iraq’s power grid. Three people were wounded in a blast in Saidiya. At least three al-Qaeda suspects were arrested, among them a high-ranking member. No casualties were so far reported after a bomb blasted a U.S. patrol.
Two girls were arrested in Suwayra over the deaths of four family members.
In Mosul, four civilians and two policemen were wounded in a roadside bomb blast. Another roadside bomb wounded two policemen. An Iraqi soldier was wounded during clashes. Seven suspects were arrested.
An oil pipeline located in Ninewah province was sabotaged. Although repairs were estimated to take a week, the pipeline was apparently repaired quickly.
Fourteen suspects were detained in Basra province.
An unknown number of suspected Kata’ib Hezbollah members were captured in Wassit province.
A suspected high-ranking member of the Islamic State of Iraq was arrested in Kirkuk.
Two suspects were detained in Hawija.
A security operation is under way in Fallujah. Three roadside bombs were discovered and defused. Two days ago a suspected mufti of the Jaish al-Mujahedin was captured.
