Updated at 5:32 p.m. EDT, July 23, 2010
Only one Iraqi death was reported today, but 33 Iraqis were wounded in new attacks. Three U.S. soldiers who were wounded at their base in Nasariya as well. Meanwhile, Iraq trudged on another day without a new government, but the United States continued pressure on the leading contenders for prime minister.
In a statement, U.S. President Barack Obama urged Iraqis to hasten the formation of their next government, but it was U.S. Vice President Joe Biden who made phone calls to Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and Iraqiya-head Ayad Allawi to encourage a resolution. An Iraqiya adviser separately said that Iraqiya could organize a new government within three days if political rivals cooperated. Iraqiya won the most seats in March elections, constitutionally giving them first shot at the new govenment, but without a clear majority, no party has been successful in taking power.
One officer was killed and 13 Iraqis were wounded in a car bomb blast in Kirkuk. The chief of police was among the wounded, but his son was the officer killed. Nine wanted men were captured south of the city.
Nine people were wounded in Iskandariya yesterday, when a bomb exploded at a coffee shop.
In Baghdad, a sticky bomb attached to a policeman’s car exploded on Palestine Street, wounding him and a civilian. An army officer was wounded in a small arms attack. Three people were wounded in a mortar attack Abu Dsheer.
A bomb in Madaen wounded three people.
Gunmen stormed a policeman’s home in Abu Ghraib where they wounded his parents.
In Turkey, two policemen were wounded in a PKK attack. Ankara said that nine PKK rebels were killed this week during a border attack.
