Updated at 8:29 p.m. EST, Nov. 7, 2010
Eight months after national elections, lawmakers have tentatively resolved a deadlock preventing the selection of the new government. Meanwhile, several of today’s attacks focused on Awakening Council (Sahwa) and other security forces. At least 11 Iraqis were killed and 30 more were wounded across the country.
Lawmakers have tentatively agreed to a power-sharing scheme that will allow for the formation of the new government eight months after voters defied significant threats to go to the polls. The new agreement, which still has some details to be worked out, will be formally announced tomorrow in Arbil.
Under the agreement, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki will retain the premiership, but the Iraqiya party will have final say in the selection of president and speaker of parliament. Iraqiya had beat out Maliki’s State of Law party by a slim margin but not enough to take the prime minister’s seat without help. These other selections should come to light this week. Last week, Iraqi activists sued for the return of salaries paid to parliament because lawmakers only met briefly since being seated. The end to the deadlock will allow parliament to return to work.
An I.E.D. killed two Sahwa and wounded three more in Samarra. A separate blast wounded four policemen. A bicycle bomb wounded two people outside of town.
In Mosul, gunmen killed two soldiers at a checkpoint. A prison guard was killed. Attackers threw a grenade at a patrol but wounded a girl instead. Gunmen killed two soldiers yesterday.
A blast killed one policeman and injured five others in Tal Afar. Security forces killed a suicide bomber near an elementary school.
A sticky bomb left on a motorcycle wounded five civilians in Baquba.
In Baghdad, Katyusha rockets struck on the Green Zone again. A sticky bomb wounded a security guard in Amil. Also, Iraqis celebrated mass at the Lady of Salvation church, just a week after gunmen left dozens of hostages dead. Later, gunmen killed a Sunni imam in Doura, while a blast wounded three people in Ilam.
A Sahwa member was killed and a female companion was wounded when a bomb blasted their vehicle near Baghdad.
Three civilians were wounded in a mortar attack in Adhaim.
A roadside bomb injured two policemen in Tikrit.
Four rockets were fired in Kirkuk.
A suspect was captured in Hawija.
