Updated at 9:27 p.m. EDT, July 10, 2010
At least five Iraqis were killed and 10 were wounded in light violence. Turkish warplanes were to blame for injuries to one Iraqi. Meanwhile, U.S. Army’s Chief of Staff, Gen. George Casey, suggested that the United States could be involved in Iraq and Afghanistan for another decade.
A resolution to the standoff that is keeping the new Iraqi government from forming seems nearer as a member of the Iraqiya party said the State of Law party has agreed to let the Iraqiya party select the next prime minister. Also, Vice President Tariq Al-Hashemi hailed Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s acceptance that he will not return as premier.
March elections gave the country no clear winner leaving the formation of the new government in limbo until all parties agreed to a compromise. Iraqiya did win the most seats in the new parliament, constitutionally giving the party first crack at the premiership, but Maliki has led an intense fight to keep his role as premier. He was unwilling, until recently, to even meet with Iraqiya head Ayad Allawi, and attempted to create a superbloc that would allow State of Law to bypass
Gunmen attacked the Qayara police chief’s convoy as he was traveling in a village outside the city. The chief and two bodyguards were wounded. Security forces then launched a search operation, which has resulted in sporadic clashes. At least one policeman and one gunman were killed, while two others were wounded. Six people were arrested in connection.
In Amiriya, a roadside bomb left one policeman dead and three wounded. No casualties were reported after a bomb blasted a civilian’s home, but the police may have been responding to this attack.
One Iraqi civilian was wounded in Sidakan when Turkish warplanes bombed northern Iraqi villages while targeting Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) rebels. Tensions left casualties on the Turkish side of the border as well.
In Mosul, an off-duty soldier was killed when a sticky bomb was detonated in Wadi Hajar.
A policeman killed an officer at an academy in Samawa.
In Baghdad, a bomb injured two people in Suleikh.
