US Soldier, 8 Iraqis Killed, Including 3 Family Members Executed by Death Squads, According to June 19, 2008 News Reports

Editor's Note:

Only God knows how many Iraqis are killed everyday. The following represents part of the reporting but readers are advised that the actual number of deaths should very much exceed what's reported.

Concerning deaths of US soldiers, only those US citizens who die in Iraq are included in the statistics. There are no published statistics about US soldiers who die of their injuries after that. There are no published statistics about the deaths or injuries of the private army soldiers (security contractors), or about those without US citizenship.

It is noteworthy that May 20, 2008 news reports showed that death squads which execute Iraqis on daily basis are no longer hiding themselves. Previously, Sunni leaders pointed to Mahdi Army and Badr militiamen as the perpetrators. Now, death squads are composed of the US-recruited Sahwa fighters and policemen (which is an opportunity for US forces command to sever relations with these fighters).

Despite the fact that there are scores of organizations involved in the Iraq war, the Iraqi government officials prefer to refer to them as Alqaeda gunmen for propaganda purposes, as mentioned in the June 4, 2008 news report. For accuracy purposes, the term "Alqaeda gunmen" may be replaced with "Iraqi fighters."

Yaqen.net reported that a policeman was killed by gunmen in Mosul.

- A US vehicle was damaged by a roadside bomb in Tus Khurmato, south of Kirkuk.

- Two bodies of Iraqi soldiers, a third of a policeman were found in Wassit on Friday.

Amsi.org reported statistics about death tolls in Iraq, mentioning that there were 4,103 US soldiers who were killed, and 30,247 who were injured. Iraqi death toll reached 92,624.

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Civilian gunned down in western Baghdad

Baghdad - Voices of Iraq
Saturday , 21 /06 /2008 Time 10:30:33

Baghdad, Jun 21, (VOI) –

Unidentified gunmen on Saturday morning killed a taxi driver in Baghdad's western area of al-Biyaa, a source from the Iraqi police said.

"Today, unknown gunmen driving a civilian vehicle opened fire on a 50-year-old taxi driver in al-Bayaa city, western Baghdad, killing him on the spot," the source, who requested anonymity, told Aswat al-Iraq-Voices of Iraq- (VOI).
"The gunmen fled to an unknown destination," the source noted, adding that the motivations behind the attack remain unknown.

SS

3 bodies of family members found in Baaquba

Diala - Voices of Iraq
Saturday , 21 /06 /2008 Time 10:30:33
Diala, Jun 21, (VOI) –

Security sources in Diala on Saturday morning found three bodies belonging to members of one family, who had been kidnapped by unknown gunmen, a local police source said.

"The three bodies belong to a family from Shamr tribe that refused to submit to the gunmen's displacement orders. The bodies were found in Ba'aqouba's downtown area of al-Tahrir with signs of gunshot wounds to different parts of them," the source, who preferred to remain unnamed, told Aswat al-Iraq-Voices of Iraq- (VOI).
SS

Kirkuk explosion wounds two

Kirkuk - Voices of Iraq
Saturday , 21 /06 /2008 Time 10:30:33
Kirkuk, Jun 21, (VOI) –

Two persons, including a suicide bomber, were seriously wounded in a car bomb explosion that ripped through central Kirkuk city on Saturday, a police source said.

"A car rigged with explosives driven by a suicide bomber detonated on Saturday morning in al-Kornish area in downtown Kirkuk, seriously wounding the suicide bomber and a person who was sitting nearby," Colonel Ahmed Samirani told Aswat al-Iraq-Voices of Iraq- (VOI).
"Investigation has not been conducted thus far because of their bad health condition. They are Kirkuk residents and were identified by their IDs," the colonel explained.

Kirkuk, an oil-rich and mixed city of Kurds, Turkmen, Christians, and Arabs, lies 250 km northeast of the Iraqi capital Baghdad.

SS

Western Baghdad blast leaves 13 killed, wounded

Baghdad - Voices of Iraq
Saturday , 21 /06 /2008 Time 10:30:33
Baghdad, Jun 21, (VOI) –

Three civilians were killed and 10 others were wounded when a car rigged with explosives detonated in western Baghdad, an Iraqi police source said on Saturday.

"A roadside car bomb went off near al-Fasoul al-Arabaa Restaurant in western Baghdad's al-Harithiya area on Friday evening, killing three civilians and injuring 10 others," the source, who requested anonymity, told Aswat al-Iraq-Voices of Iraq-(VOI).
The place of the explosion lies hundreds of meters away from an entrance leading to Baghdad's fortified Green Zone.

The central Baghdad's heavily-fortified U.S.-protected Green Zone is home to the U.S. and British embassies and some Iraqi ministries.

SS

Five people killed, 17 wounded, 78 arrested in Iraq in 24 hours

Baghdad - Voices of Iraq
Saturday , 21 /06 /2008 Time 10:30:33

Baghdad, Jun 21, (VOI) –

At least five people were killed, 17 were wounded, while 78 others were arrested by security forces in the violent acts that took place throughout Iraq in 24 hours, security sources said.

In Baghdad, a security source said from the Iraqi police said that unknown gunmen on Saturday morning killed a civilian person who worked as a taxi driver, in al-Baya'a neighborhood, western Baghdad.

Police sources also said that three civilians were killed and 10 others were wounded in a car bomb attack at al-Harthiya neighborhood, western Baghdad.

In Ninewa, Brigadier Khalid Abdul-Sattar, the province's operations command's spokesperson, on Friday told Aswat al-Iraq – Voices of Iraq – (VOI) that Iraqi army forces defused a car bomb, and arrested a suspect, eastern Mosul.

In Diala, a source from the province's police said that his forces found three corpses of one family that were abducted by unidentified armed men at central Baaquba.

The U.S. army in Iraq announced that one of its soldiers was killed, and five others were wounded, when an improvised explosive device (IED) detonated, targeting their patrol in Diyala province.
This incident increased the U.S. army death toll in Iraq to 18 soldiers during June; and to 4,102 soldiers since the beginning of operations in March 2003.

In Kirkuk, police Colonel Ahmed Samirani told VOI that a car bomb, driven by two suicide attackers, exploded in the city's center. The two bombers were seriously wounded.

In Basra, a source from the province's police revealed that eight wanted people were arrested, and ammunition and oil products were seized in raid operations conducted by security forces, at different places of Basra.

Another source from Basra police said that his forces defused a rocket that was ready for launch, targeting al-Sheaiba oil refinery (South Refineries Company), western Basra.

In Missan, General Abdul-Kareem Khalaf, director of the Interior Ministry's national command center, told VOI that a factory related to the production of adhesive explosive devices was seized, eastern Amara city, in raid operations conducted by the forces participating in Fardh al-Qanoon (Law Imposing) plan in the province.

In Karbala, General Raid Shaker Jawdat, the province's operations and police commander, told VOI that on Saturday dawn, five senior members of the armed groups were arrested, and large amounts of arms were seized with them, west of the city.

In Nassiriya city, Major Nassir al-Majidi, Thi-Qar police media spokesperson, told VOI that the province's police on Saturday arrested 65 persons accused of different cases, in a security operation conducted in Shattra suburb, north of Nassiriya.
MH/SR

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www.albasrah.net

Iraqi Resistance Report for events of Friday, 20 June 2008.

Translated and/or compiled by Muhammad Abu Nasr,

member, editorial board, the Free Arab Voice

Friday, 20 June 2008.

·       Iraqi regime arrests eight members of Jaysh al-Mahdi in renewed raids, searches in Baghdad’s impoverished Madinat as-Sadr district, as American preparations for attack on Iran continue.

·       Iraqi regime arrests 200 in offensive against anti-occupation Jaysh al-Mahdi militia in Maysan Province, as US continues preparations for attack on Iran.

·       In continued preparations for American attack on Iran, Iraqi regime troops arrest 18 Jaysh al-Mahdi members in raids, searches in al-Basrah.

Baghdad.

Iraqi regime arrests eight members of Jaysh al-Mahdi in renewed raids, searches in Baghdad’s impoverished Madinat as-Sadr district, as American preparations for attack on Iran continue.

In a dispatch posted at 7:42pm Baghdad time Friday evening, the Yaqen News Agency reported that Iraqi government forces arrested eight members of the anti-occupation Jaysh al-Mahdi militia and seized a quantity of weapons in the course of raids and searches in eastern Baghdad on Friday.

Yaqen reported a source in the police as saying that the US-backed regime had carried out raids in the an-Nasr neighborhood of Madinat as-Sadr in which they arrested eight members of the anti-occupation militia. The source also claimed that the government troops seized 215 mortar shells, eight bombs, and 85 various guns in addition to three stolen cars in their security operations in the impoverished Baghdad district, known as a stronghold of the anti-occupation Jaysh al-Mahdi.

Since March, the US-backed Iraqi regime has been actively engaged in an offensive against the anti-occupation Sadr Movement and its armed wing, the Jaysh al-Mahdi militia, in Iraq, in what is believed to be preparation for an American attack on Iran.

US reports capture of Sadr Movement leader in southern Baghdad Thursday.

In a dispatch posted on its Arabic website at 5:17pm Friday afternoon Beijing time (1:17pm in Baghdad), the Xinhua News Agency reported that the US had announced that its forces had captured a leader of what it called a “Special Group” – an American designation referring to the anti-occupation Sadr Movement and its armed wing, the Jaysh al-Mahdi.

Xinhua reported a US communiqué as saying that the Americans arrested the man in raids in southern Baghdad on Thursday, 19 June. The statement reported that the man had been in close contact with the office of the Sadr Movement in the Shi‘i holy city of an-Najaf, 160km to the south of Baghdad.

Since March, the US-backed Iraqi regime has been actively engaged in an offensive against the anti-occupation Sadr Movement and its armed wing, the Jaysh al-Mahdi militia, in Iraq, in what is believed to be preparation for an American attack on Iran.

Salah ad-Din Province.
Ad-Dulu‘iyah.

Three Iraqi policemen wounded in suspected al-Qa‘idah bomb attack.

In a dispatch posted on its Arabic website at 7:50pm Friday evening Beijing time (3:50pm in Baghdad), the Xinhua News Agency reported that a bomb exploded by a patrol of Iraqi government policemen to the east of ad-Dulu‘iyah, 97km north of Baghdad.

Xinhua reported a source in the Iraqi Interior Ministry as saying that three policemen were wounded in the attack, which, he said, was probably carried out by the al-Qa‘idah organization, which is active in Salah ad-Din Province.

Diyala Province.
Ba‘qubah.

Bomb kills Iraqi army soldier south of Ba‘qubah, in suspected al-Qa‘idah attack.

In a dispatch posted on its Arabic website at 7:50pm Friday evening Beijing time (3:50pm in Baghdad), the Xinhua News Agency reported that a bomb exploded by a patrol of Iraqi army troops in the village of an-Naqib, 5km south of Ba‘qubah (which is 65km northeast of Baghdad).

Xinhua reported a source in the Iraqi Interior Ministry as saying that the blast killed one soldier and wounded three more of them, one of those being an officer. A patrol vehicle was also destroyed in the attack.

The source in the Iraqi Interior Ministry as saying that the attack was probably carried out by the al-Qa‘idah organization, which is active in Diyala Province.

Jalawla’.

Kurdish separatist policeman found dead Thursday night.

In a dispatch posted at 11:33am Baghdad time Friday morning, the Yaqen News Agency reported that the Iraqi government police found the body of a member of the US-backed Kurdish separatist Asayish police in Jalawla’, 120km northeast of Baghdad, on Thursday evening.

Yaqen reported Abu Yasin, a Jalawla’ resident as saying that the police found the body of Mahmud Salih ad-Dawudi, a member of the Kurdish separatist Asayish militia, in the village of Jamilah, east of Jalawla’, late Thursday night. He had been shot in the head and elsewhere on his body.

Buhriz.

Gunmen kill college student in Buhriz Thursday evening.

In a dispatch posted at 10:47am Baghdad time Friday morning, the Yaqen News Agency reported that gunmen shot and killed a university student in the Buhriz area, 60km northeast of Baghdad, on Thursday evening.

Yaqen reported Diyala University students who witnessed the murder as saying that attackers opened fire on a student in the al-‘Abarah area of Buhriz, killing him on the spot. No other details were available.

Ninwa Province.
Al-Mawsil.

Bomb wounds 11 policemen in al-Mawsil Friday afternoon.

In a dispatch posted at 9:40pm Baghdad time Friday night, the Yaqen News Agency reported that a bob went off by an Iraqi police patrol in the al-Ghabat area to the north of al-Mawsil, 420km northwest of Baghdad on Friday afternoon. Yaqen reported a source in the police as saying that the blast wounded 11 policemen.

Five policemen wounded in suspected al-Qa‘idah car bomb attack in al-Mawsil.

In a dispatch posted on its Arabic website at 7:48pm Friday evening Beijing time (3:48pm in Baghdad), the Xinhua News Agency reported that a car bomber had attacked a checkpoint manned by Iraqi government police in al-Mawsil, 420km northwest of Baghdad, at midday Friday.

Xinhua reported a source in the Ninwa Province police as saying that an attacker had driven his explosives-packed car towards a checkpoint in the al-Wahdah neighborhood of southern al-Mawsil. The source said that the policemen at the checkpoint observed the attacker before he reached their position and opened fire on his oncoming car, causing the vehicle to explode before reaching their post. Five policemen were wounded from the force of the blast, however.

Since 10 May, US and Iraqi regime forces have been pressing forward a security sweep aimed at the al-Qa‘idah organization in al-Mawsil and Ninwa Province. On Friday, government forces continued their raids in various neighborhoods, including al-Maydan, where they arrested five wanted men.

Al-Qa‘idah commander reported captured in al-Mawsil.

In a dispatch posted on its Arabic website at 12:39pm Friday afternoon Beijing time (8:39am in Baghdad), the Xinhua News Agency reported that Iraqi regime forces had captured a commander of the al-Qa‘idah organization in a security operation to the west of al-Mawsil, 420km northwest of Baghdad.

Xinhua reported a source who asked not to be identified as saying that Iraqi regime troops arrested Hakim Marwan, an al-Qa‘idah commander in the course of raids and searches in the al-Bursah area of western al-Mawsil. Marwan, an Iraqi, is now under investigation, the source said.

Since 10 May, US and Iraqi regime forces have been pressing forward a security sweep aimed at the al-Qa‘idah organization in al-Mawsil and Ninwa Province.

Maysan Province.
Al-‘Amarah.

Iraqi regime arrests 200 in offensive against anti-occupation Jaysh al-Mahdi militia in Maysan Province, as US continues preparations for attack on Iran.

In a dispatch posted at 4:20pm Baghdad time Friday afternoon, the Yaqen News Agency reported that as of the time of reporting, the Iraqi regime had arrested 200 members of the anti-occupation Jaysh al-Mahdi militia in its current offensive against the organization in Maysan Province, centered in the capital of al-‘Amarah, 290km southeast of Baghdad.

Yaqen reported Shaykh ‘Adnan as-Saylawi, the Director of the Sadr Office in Maysan, as saying that the Iraqi regime’s security forces had arrested about 200 members of the Jaysh al-Mahdi since launching their sweep at dawn on Thursday. As-Saylawi added that the government troops have been committing abuses in the course of their offensive, terrorizing local residents and shooting wildly in residential areas.

Since March, the US-backed Iraqi regime has been actively engaged in an offensive against the anti-occupation Sadr Movement and its armed wing, the Jaysh al-Mahdi militia, in Iraq, in what is believed to be preparation for an American attack on Iran.

Al-Basrah Province.
Al-Basrah.

In continued preparations for American attack on Iran, Iraqi regime troops arrest 18 Jaysh al-Mahdi members in raids, searches in al-Basrah.

In a dispatch posted on its Arabic website at 5:47pm Friday afternoon Beijing time (1:47pm in Baghdad), the Xinhua News Agency reported that Iraqi Interior Ministry troops had continued their campaign of raids, searches, and arrests targeting the anti-occupation Jaysh al-Mahdi militia in al-Basrah, and that another 18 people had been rounded up in those raids.

Xinhua reported a source in the al-Basrah police in southern Iraq as saying that in addition to the arrests, the troops had seized 19 mortar rounds, 17 artillery rounds, three Katyusha rockets and various other munitions.

Since March, the US-backed Iraqi regime has been actively engaged in an offensive against the anti-occupation Sadr Movement and its armed wing, the Jaysh al-Mahdi militia, in Iraq, in what is believed to be preparation for an American attack on Iran.

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