Updated at 6:22 p.m. EDT, May 12, 2010
Casualties ticked back up again after a brief respite. At least 19 Iraqis were killed and another 68 were wounded in the latest violence. Meanwhile, many Iraqis, including security personnel, suspect that politicians mired in a power struggle are behind some of the recent attacks. Also, the De-Ba’athification committee issued conflicting statements on whether its election work is over.
The Accountability and Justice (De-Ba’athification) Committee, which is charged with rooting out members of the illegal Ba’ath Party, has ended its investigation of election candidates, but the fate of nine winners currently accused of ties is still unresolved. The committee caused much confusion and enmity during the run-up to the election in March thanks to its secretive disqualifications. Some even accused it of a politically based witch-hunt against popular Sunni candidates. The Ba’ath Party was outlawed after the fall of the Saddam regime.
In Baghdad, a dumped body left next to a store in Shula attracted victims to a bomb that killed three people and wounded 25 more. Late yesterday, six people were killed and sixteen others were wounded when two bombs targeting police exploded in the Doura district. A soldier was wounded during a small arms attack on a checkpoint.
Seven people were killed and 25 others were wounded when a car bomb exploded near a popular cafe in Sadr City.
Two gunmen were arrested after they opened fire in Fallujah and injured a civilian. Twelve suspects were arrested during operations yesterday.
Two brothers were kidnapped north of Baquba.
A female student was kidnapped from a university in Kut.
In Mosul, gunmen killed a civilian. A weapons cache was found. A launching pad was seized. A satellite TV employee was killed during an attack at his home.
Two men suspected of involvement in Monday’s attack in Suwayra were captured. A weapons cache was found.
Various arms were found in Basra. Fifteen suspects were detained across the province.
Kurdish forces found a weapons cache near Suleiman Bek.
Ten suspects were detained in Kirkuk.
Five Iranians and two Iraqis were arrested for smuggling oil. Seven tankers were confiscated from them.
