Shi’ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr drew thousands of Iraqis to his first speech since returning home from Iran. Al-Sadr spoke of resisting the United States but also allowing American troops the opportunity to leave in a "suitable" way. He also gave support to the government he once fought and which had, or perhaps still has, a warrant out for his arrest. Meanwhile, at least four Iraqis were killed and 10 more were wounded in light violence. No reports escaped Baghdad today even though "bombings and shooting remain a daily occurrence in the Iraqi capital."
Eight people were wounded when a bomb exploded in Abu Ghraib.
A bomb blast in a Hashimiya chicken coop killed two children. In a second version of the news item, the dead were a woman and her four-year old nephew.
In Khan Bani Saad, a bomb killed one soldier and wounded another.
An off-duty policeman was shot dead in Taji.
In Mosul, a soldier was wounded when an I.E.D. exploded.
A hostage was liberated in Qayara.
