War News for Tuesday, June 16, 2009

MNF-Iraq is reporting the death of a Multi-National Division - South soldier in a roadside bombing in near Samawa, Muthanna province, Iraq on Tuesday, June 16th.

The Estonian MoD is reporting the death of an Estonian ISAF soldier in a grenade attack in an undisclosed place in Helmand province, Afghanistan on Monday, June 15th. Three additional soldiers were wounded in the attack.


June 11 airpower summary:

June 10 airpower summary:

Russian executives to try to revive Iraqi oil deal:

14 die in commuter bus fire in south Iraq:

U.S. to Confront, Not Board, North Korean Ships:

US Army H-60 fleet nears 1 million flight hours in Iraq, Afghanistan:


Reported Security incidents:

Baghdad:
#1: Monday Four civilians were injured by a roadside bomb in Karrada neighborhood in downtown Baghdad on Monday afternoon.

#2: A roadside bomb wounded a U.S. soldier on patrol in northeast Baghdad, a U.S. military statement said, adding that one U.S. Humvee vehicle was damaged in the explosion.


Samawa:
#1: An improvised explosive device (IED) on Tuesday targeted a U.S. convoy in Muthanna province, but no casualties were reported, according to a local security source. “A roadside explosive device detonated at the southern entrance of Samawa city while a U.S. convoy of four vehicles was passing the location,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency. No casualties or damage resulted, the source noted. “The U.S. soldiers fired randomly at nearby civilian vehicles, but no casualties were reported,” the source added.


Al Rashad:
#1: Two civilians have been kidnapped by unknown gunmen in Kirkuk city, a local police chief said on Tuesday. “A group of gunmen kidnapped two civilians near al-Sud village of al-Rashad district (35 km southwest of Kirkuk city),” Brig. Sarhad Qadir told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.The motivations behind the kidnap remain unknown, the official said.


Kirkuk:
#1: One civilian was killed and five were wounded on Monday in a sticky bomb explosion in central Kirkuk, a source from the joint coordination center said. “A bomb stuck to a vehicle went off in front of the Kirkuk province’s building in central Kirkuk, killing a civilian and injuring five,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency, giving no more details.

#2: One civilian on Tuesday was killed inside his store in downtown Kirkuk city, according to a local source. “On Tuesday morning, unknown men killed a civilian with a sharp instrument inside his store on al-Jumhouriya St., downtown Kirkuk,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency. “The victim was the only agent for Cork Telecom,” the source noted.


Mosul:
#1: Judge Mohammad Najem, head of Mosul's Criminal Investigation Court, survived with wounds a roadside bomb explosion near his car in northern Mosul on Monday night, the source said. The blast wounded two of Najem's aides who were with him in the car during the attack, the source added.

#2: Two gunmen were arrested Monday while attempting to launch two Katyusha rockets at an Iraqi military base in northern Mosul, a military source said. “A force from the 3rd brigade of the Quick Response Department (QRD) managed on Monday (June 15) to arrest two gunmen in al-Arabi neighborhood in northern Mosul,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency. “The force seized also the two rockets,” he noted. “The rockets were prepared to be launched at al-Kindi base in northern Mosul, used by the 2nd division of the Iraqi army,” he also said.

#3: A civilian and a woman were wounded Tuesday by U.S. forces random fire in eastern Mosul, a medical source said. “One civilian and a woman were wounded when U.S. forces opened fire randomly in al-Adl neighborhood in eastern Mosul,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency. “The two were in a bus when the forces opened fire on them,” he added. “The woman is a Mosul University employee,” he noted.

#4: Four people including a policeman were injured by a roadside bomb in Bab alTob area in downtown Mosul city on Tuesday afternoon.

Tal Afar:
#1: Unknown gunmen on Monday blew up a store in Talafar district in northwest of Mosul, the local police chief said. “Unknown gunmen planted a number of bombs inside a store in al-Muthanna neighborhood in north of Talafar, northwest of Mosul,” Colonel Ali Hadi Ubeid told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.


Al Anbar Prv:
#1: A kidnapped cop was killed on Monday in northern Ramadi, a media source said. “Police forces found on Monday night (June 15) a body of a policeman one hour after being kidnapped in front of his house in al-Jarayshi village in northern Ramadi,” Major Raheem Zebn told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.



Afghanistan: "The Forgotten War"
#1: The army shelled militant hideouts in Pakistan's northwest tribal belt Tuesday, where forces are believed to be on the brink of an all-out onslaught to crush the Taliban, officials said. Artillery struck insurgent hideouts in districts of South Waziristan, a northwestern tribal region and stronghold of Pakistani Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud. ‘Security forces used heavy artillery to pound militant hideouts. We have reports that several miscreants have been killed but we do not know the exact number,’ said an intelligence official in Peshawar. A government official based in the area confirmed the strikes, which began overnight and continued into early Tuesday, telling AFP: ‘They are targeting Kotkai, Spinkai Raghzai and Srarogha areas.’ Residents also reported shelling in the area, which ended in the morning.

#2: A blast took place in southwestern Pakistan's Quetta city on Tuesday and several people were injured, private Express TV channel reported. The blast occurred at a juice shop in Meezan chowk in Quetta, capital city of Balochistan province, said the report. The Express quoted the owner of the shop as saying that three women came to the shop and drank juice. Shortly after the women left, the blast occurred, he said.