War News for Wednesday, July 29, 2009

July 26 airpower summary:

Gates: some US troops may be leaving Iraq early:

Gitmo Detainee may be Sent Home:

Montenegro to send troops to Afghanistan:


Reported Security incidents:

Baghdad:
#1: Eight persons on Tuesday were killed and 13 others were injured when a motorbike bomb exploded in the capital Baghdad, according to a police source. “This evening, a motorbike rigged with explosives went off near al-Baydaa movie theater in Baghdad al-Jadida area, southeastern Baghdad, killing eight persons and wounding 13 others,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.


Diyala Prv:
#1: Hundreds of Iraqi police and soldiers were in a tense stand-off with residents of a camp housing Iran's main exiled opposition on Wednesday, after violence that left two policemen dead.
At least 400 people were wounded in the unrest sparked when the Iraqi army stormed Camp Ashraf on Tuesday, followed by riot police who were called in to quell resistance by camp residents. The opposition People's Mujahedeen said six camp residents were also killed but there was no independent confirmation of those deaths. Doctor Abdullah al-Timimi from the main hospital in the nearby town of Khales said the two policemen died on Wednesday from injuries sustained the previous day. One had suffered internal bleeding following a blow to the head. The other had been stabbed in the neck, he said.


Amarra:
#1: A roadside bomb on Wednesday went off near a U.S. convoy in northern Amara city, without causing any casualties or damage, said a security source from Missan province. “The incident took place on al-Btera Street,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.“This attack is the second of its type since June 30, 2009, when Iraqis received the security responsibility from the U.S. forces,” he said.


Makhmour:
#1: Iraqi army forces on Wednesday found an unknown corpse west of Makhmour suburb, a source from the army said. “The body was found at noon near Dewzanti village on the main road between Makhmour and al-Qayiara district, 68 km southwest of Arbil city,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.“Signs of gunshot wounds were found on the corpse,” he said.


Kirkuk:
#1: One policeman and a civilian on Wednesday were injured in an explosive charge blast that ripped through Kirkuk city, according to a local source. “This morning, a policeman and a civilian were wounded when an improvised explosive device (IED) exploded at al-Soyoof Square of Arafa neighborhood, western Kirkuk, while an Iraqi army vehicle was passing the location,” a source from the Joint Coordination Center in the province told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.


Mosul:
#1: A policeman was killed and two people (a policeman and a child) were injured by a roadside bomb that targeted a nationa ploice patrol in Mansour neighborhood in south Mosul around 2 p.m.


Anbar Prv:
#1: Bomb squad personnel on Wednesday defused a booby-trapped car found on a main street in Ramadi city, according to a local police source.

#2: One policeman on Wednesday was killed and two others were wounded when a roadside bomb went off on the International Highway, west of Anbar province, a police source said. “The blast took place near a mosque at the International Highway, 160 km west of Anbar province,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.



Afghanistan: "The Forgotten War"
#1: Gun battle between Afghan police and Taliban insurgents claimed the lives of five including four militants in Ghor province southwest Afghanistan, provincial police chief Abdul Baqi said Wednesday. "The clash took place in Pasawand district after militants began collecting taxes in some villages and people rejected the demand," Baqi told Xinhua. He said that rejection by locals triggered gun battle which police sided with people killing four rebels including two suicide bombers. One civilian was also killed in the gun ballet lasted for several hours.

#2: Taliban militants stormed the home of a pro-government militia leader and shot him dead Wednesday as troops continued a cleanup operation in northwest Pakistan, officials said. More than 50 Taliban raided the residence of Khalilur Rehman and killed him in Shangla district near Buner where the army was engaged in an anti-militant operation, police and local lawmaker Mohammad Fazlullah told AFP. Rehman, 60, who had formed a tribal militia known as lashkar, used to provide logistic support to the anti-Taliban fighters, residents said. "He was shot dead soon after he entered the meeting hall of his house," senior police officer Gul Wali said adding that Rehman's servant was wounded. Security forces retaliated and killed two militants, he said.

#3: A roadside bomb killed two Afghan civilians in southern Kandahar province, the Interior Ministry said.

#3: Two Afghan soldiers were killed in separate attacks in different parts of Kandahar, the Defence Ministry said.

#4: An explosion hit a campaign office for presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah in a remote district of southeastern Paktika province, campaign worker Assadullah Nizami said. Part of the office was damaged but there were no casualties, he said.

#5: A police vehicle escorting a convoy of trucks carrying supplies for Western forces in Afghanistan hit a roadside bomb in the Khyber tribal region on the Afghan border on Wednesday, wounding two policemen, government officials and residents said.

#6: A lawyer from the minority Shi'ite Muslim community was wounded and his guard killed when his car hit a bomb placed in the parking lot of a court in the northwestern city of Dera Ismail Khan. Two other people were also wounded. Police suspect Sunni Muslim militants were behind the attack.