Updated at 10:53 p.m. EDT, July 25, 2010
Security has been tightened ahead of Shi’ite religious holiday, but at least 15 Iraqis were killed and 36 more were wounded in unrelated violence. Meanwhile, a State of Law M.P. complained that the delay in forming the government has shaken the international community’s trust in Iraq. Despite that fear, Iraq’s political blocs postponed the parliamentary session by one day to pick a speaker, among other issues plaguing the new parliament. The government, however, was able to make a decision on changing Iraq’s state logo and stamp. Mirroring parliament, the Iraqi Football Association has postponed board elections until further notice.
About 3,500 American troops are being transferred out of Anbar province this month. Although the U.S. drawdown is on schedule, Iraqi security forces may not be ready to replace the outgoing Americans just yet. Among the critical issues are the ongoing need for Iraqi army troops to man checkpoints in Baghdad, arming the Kurdish Peshmerga adequately, and completely folding the Awakening Council members into regular security forces. Also, recent raids came up empty in Jalawla, Mosul and Bailona.
Approximately 30,000 security personnel have been deployed to Karbala for the Shi’ite observance of al-Ziyara al-Shaabaniya. Fifty suspects were detained as a preventative measure.
In Mosul, a blast killed a policeman and wounded two others, including a child, in the Tanak district. Three police officers were killed and two more were wounded in a blast across town. Gunmen killed a police captain and two of his bodyguards. A stray bullet killed a four-year-old child.
In Baghdad, a body was found dumped in Harithiya. A roadside bomb in Amil wounded two people. In Elam, a sticky bomb killed four people. A roadside bomb killed a policeman and wounded three others in Doura. A bomb in Saidiya killed a civilian and wounded three more. Two people were wounded in a New Baghdad bomb attack. Also, two roadside bombs wounded as many as 14 people in Ghazaliyah.
Four soldiers were wounded in Abu Ghraib during a double bombing.
A bomb in Mandali wounded a man and his daughter.
In Buhriz, a bomb wounded two people.
No casualties were reported after bomb blasted a U.S. vehicle in Khalis.
Eleven suspects were captured in Diyala province.
Kurdish intelligence agents liberated a child in Arbil and arrested his kidnappers.
Joint U.S.-Iraqi forces captured 21 suspects in villages near Hawija and Baiji.
Ten suspects were detained in Basra.
