War News for Monday, December 17, 2011

MNF-Iraq (OND) is reporting the deaths of two U.S. service members from small arms fire by an apparent Iraqi Army soldier at the Ghazlani Training Center, Ninevah province, Iraq on Saturday, January 15th. One additional soldier was wounded in the attack.


US service member killed in central Iraq


Reported security incidents

Baghdad:
#1: Three civilians have been injured in an explosive charge blast in southern Baghdad on Monday, a Baghdad security source said. "An explosive charge, planted by unknown gunmen, blew off on the main road passing through west Baghdad's al-ilam district, wounding three civilians," the security source added.


Mosul:
#1: An armed man stormed a private hospital, and wounded a Christian doctor with a gun equipped with silencer, on Sunday in eastern Mosul, 390 km (240 miles) north of Baghdad, police said.


Al Anbar Prv:
#1: The governor of Iraq's western Anbar province on Monday survived at least a fourth assassination attempt in just over a year, escaping unharmed a suicide attack that left six people wounded, police and health officials said. Gov. Qasim al-Fahadawi, a former businessman who has friendly ties with the U.S. military in Anbar, lost an arm and underwent intensive surgery to rebuild his leg after a suicide bomber struck his Ramadi office in December 2009. Monday's attack took place in Ramadi, the provincial capital located some 70 miles (115 kilometers) west of Baghdad, when the bomber rammed his car into al-Fahadawi's 12-vehicle convoy. Al-Fahadawi was not hurt in the blast, but three of his guards and three bystanders were wounded, a police official said. A health official confirmed the casualties.



Afghanistan: "The Forgotten War"
#1: An explosion ripped through a minibus traveling in a militant-infested area of northwestern Pakistan on Monday, killing 18 people, police said. There were conflicting reports of whether the blast was caused by a bomb or by the gas cylinder used to power the vehicle. The bus was traveling between the cities of Hangu and Kohat, which are located close to Pakistan's lawless tribal region. The explosion tore apart the vehicle, killing all 17 people on board, and tipped over a second bus nearby, said Hangu police chief Abdur Rasheed. One person on the bus that tipped over was killed and 11 others were wounded, he said. Rasheed said the blast occurred when the gas cylinder on board malfunctioned. But the top police official in the region said explosives were used to trigger the explosion.

#2: Unidentified assailants torched two NATO oil supply tankers in Qallat a district of Balochistan. According to the sources, the unidentified assailants first opened indiscriminate firing at the oil tankers at Sorab area of the district and later on, they set ablaze the oil tankers. According to the levy force sources, the assailants were succeeded in fleading the scene after the attack.


DoD: Sgt. Zainah C. Creamer

DoD: Maj. Evan J. Mooldyk