War News for Friday, February 01, 2008

MNF-Iraq is reporting the death of a Multi-National Division - Baghdad soldier in an IED attack in Baghdad on Thursday, January 31st.

MNF-Iraq is reporting the death of a 316th Expeditionary Sustainment Command Soldier in an indirect fire attack at Convoy Support Center Scania on Thursday, January 31st. One other soldier was wounded in the attack.


Security incidents:

Baghdad:
#1: A Multi-National Division-Baghdad Soldier was killed in Baghdad Jan. 31 when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle during combat operations.

#2: Police said a female suicide bomber killed 45 people and wounded 82 at the Ghazil pet market in central Baghdad.

In the first attack, a woman detonated explosives hidden under her traditional black Islamic robe at about 10:20 a.m. in the central al-Ghazl market. Police said at least 46 people were killed and 82 wounded. Firefighters scooped up debris scattered among pools of blood, clothing and pigeon carcasses.

#3: Another blast shortly after, caused either by a roadside bomb or a second female suicide bomber, killed 27 people and wounded 67 at a bird market in southern Baghdad, they said.

About 20 minutes later, a second female suicide bomber struck a bird market in a predominantly Shiite area in southeastern Baghdad. That blast killed as many as 18 people and wounded 25, police said.

#4: A 316th Expeditionary Sustainment Command Soldier was killed during indirect fire at Convoy Support Center Scania Jan. 31. Additionally, one Soldier was wounded and evacuated to a Coalition hospital. The statement said only that the soldiers were attacked by indirect fire, the military term for a rocket or mortar attack, at Convoy Support Center Scania, which according to GlobalSecurity.org is a truck stop about 100 kilometers (60 miles) south of Baghdad.

#5: Iraqi police patrols found three unidentified bodies dumped in different parts of the Iraqi capital Baghdad during the last 24 hours, an interior ministry source said on Friday. The source added "two bodies were found in al-Qahera and Jisr Diala neighborhoods in Baghdad's eastern side of Rasafa, while the third body was found in al-Bayaa neighborhood, western Baghdad."


Diyala Prv:
Baquba:
#1: A woman and her son were kidnapped on Friday by unknown gunmen south of Baaubqa, a security source said. “An armed group kidnapped a 50-year woman along with her son in al-Muradiya region, south of Baaquba, raising the number of kidnapped women in the past three days to 3,” the source, who requested anonymity, told Aswat al-Iraq – Voices of Iraq


Kut:
#1: Gunmen killed two policemen and wounded four civilians when they stormed a bus terminal and opened fire in Kut, 170 km (100 miles) southeast of Baghdad, police said.

Two civilians were gunned down on Friday by unknown armed men in the city of Kut, southeastern Iraq, an official security source said. “Unidentified gunmen opened fire at two civilians at a bus station in Kut, killing them instantly,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq – Voices of Iraq (VOI) on the condition of anonymity.


Hilla:
#1: A detonation of an explosive device against a U.S. vehicle patrol in northern Hilla left a number of casualties, Babel’s police source said on Friday. “An improvised explosive device went off at Hilla’s northern outlet, causing damage to one of multi-national forces (MNF) patrol vehicle passing by the area”, Babel’s police source, who requested anonymity, told Aswat al-Iraq-Voices of Iraq(VOI). The spokesman noted “the explosion was only 1 km from the American Consulate to west-central Iraq located in Hilla”. The MNF spokesman Abdul Ratif Rayan confirmed the incident and said “the blast left a number of casualties”.


Basra:
#1: Violence returned Thursday to the southern city of Basra, where militants pummeled Britain's airport base with 20 rockets and British gunners answered with volleys of artillery. Civilians were killed and wounded in the crossfire. Casualty figures were uncertain in Basra, where militants launched a 45-minute barrage at dawn with 20 Katyusha rockets hitting Britain's base at the airport. An Iraqi military intelligence officer at the British base said about 10 Iraqi civilians were either killed or wounded, although he could not provide a breakdown. The officer spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to release the information.


Samarra:
#1: A sniper killed one Iraqi soldier while on patrol in central Samarra, 100 km (68 miles) north of Baghdad, an Iraqi army source said.

#2: Security forces on Friday killed three gunmen believed to be al-Qaeda network operatives following clashes in Samarra, the city police said. “police patrols clashed with a group of gunmen believed to be al-Qaeda network operatives in al-Sikak neighbourhood, central Samarra, killing three gunmen and capturing a fourth”, A Samarra police source ,who preferred to be anonymous, told Aswat al-Iraq-Voices of Iraq


Mosul:
#1: Gunmen kidnapped five university students in Mosul, 390 km (240 miles) north of Baghdad, police said.

#2: Two unknown gunmen killed a 12-year boy near his home in Mosul, northern Iraq, on Friday, a Ninewa security spokesman said.



Afghanistan:
#1: A suicide bomber attacked a military checkpoint in North Waziristan, killing three government soldiers. Five other soldiers were wounded in Friday's attack, a military spokesman said. The suicide bombing broke a unilateral cease-fire declared by militants in the area a couple of months ago.