In a grim Memorial Day reminder of the risks facing US troops in Iraq, two sets of guerrillas used roadside bombs to kill and wound GIs on Monday. Sunni Arab guerrillas hit a US convoy in Salahuddin Province, killing one and wounding 2. Then in southern Iraq, a dissident Shiite group blew up a US vehicle in Qadisiya province southeast of the holy city of Najaf, also killing one and wounding 2.
In Baghdad, , “A suicide bomber on a motorcycle killed at least six members of a U.S.-backed neighbourhood patrol and wounded 18 others on Monday, police said. The attack took place at a checkpoint in Tarmiya, a town just north of Baghdad.”
Al-Zaman reports in Arabic that differences over Kirkuk between the United Iraqi Alliance and the Kurdistan Alliance may delay the holding of the provincial elections.
McClatchy reports that some educational institutions in Baghdad are still closed because of sectarian violence, leaving students high and dry.
Amit Paley profiles Sayyid Muqtada al-Sadr’s attempt to gain respectability. It seems a little unlikely that he will ever be thought a great scholar. But since he is clearly a talented sectarian leader, he may go on to great things. The word for trained religious jurisprudent, by the way is ‘mujtahid’, meaning to exert oneself, i.e. in deciding what the law is based on scripture and other sources.
The USG Open Source Center translates a transcript of a news broadcast in Iraq:
‘ During its evening bulletins on 25 May, Al-Sharqiyah Television highlighted the lack of services in Baghdad and Mosul, Al-Sadr Trend’s position on latest government measures pertaining to Friday prayers in Basra, and various security developments.
Within its 1300 gmt newscast, the station reported the following: . . .
“The Al-Sadr Trend has threatened to quiz the Iraqi prime minister in the Iraqi Council of Representatives against the backdrop of what he termed as his ongoing violations of the constitution and for not allowing the supporters of the trend to perform their religious rituals, including Friday prayers in Basra, southern Iraq. In press statements, Al-Sadr Trend Deputy Aqil Abd-al-Hasan said that the fact that trucks – with the support of security agencies – demolished the fence of one of the squares designated for hosting Friday prayers in the Kamsah Mil area in the Basra Governorate is considered a clear message to the Al-Sadr Trend that it will not be allowed to perform Friday prayers from now on, noting that this will make the trend pursue all peaceful and legal means to stop these violations against its supporters.” ‘
The same Sharqiya broadcast included these reports:
-“Citizens in Baghdad and other cities complained of the decline in water and electricity services, especially in the previous week. Citizens in Baghdad said to Al-Sharqiyah that there has been a power outage in some areas on the Al-Karkh side for more than five days. In the meantime, citizens in Al-Rusafah side said that the power is on for only one hour everyday. The residents of Baghdad are now facing a new problem represented by the sudden cut off of potable water to all areas that lasted throughout yesterday, without knowing the reasons. The Baghdad Mayoralty did not outline the reason for the water cut off. “
And with regard to Mosul, a city of 1.7 million hundreds of miles north of Baghdad:
-“The residents of Mosul have appealed to the Trade Ministry’s officials to make available the items of the ration card, stressing the scarcity of the items that are received, not to mention that many of the items are received after months of delay, noting that the validity date of some items expired. They also indicated that living conditions have deteriorated, and that unemployment and prices have sharply risen.” -” Mosul Governor Durayd Khashmulah strongly attacked those who criticized him, in a reference to the deputies who accused him of distancing himself from the city, terming them as insignificant. Kashmulah stressed that he deals in a very impartial manner with all of the people’s problems and concerns. “
McClatchy reports political violence in Iraq for Monday:
‘ Baghdad
Five civilians were injured when a bomb exploded inside a park near Abbas Ebin Firnas intersection in west Baghdad around 10:00 a.m.
Five people were killed (3 Sahwa council members and 2 policemen) and eleven others were injured (5 police and 6 Sahwa council members) when a suicide motorcycle bomb targeted a Sahwa checkpoint near the supporting forces headquarters in Tarmiyah district in north Baghdad around 10:30 a.m.
Two civilians were injured when a roadside bomb exploded near a moving bus in Shaab neighborhood in north Baghdad around 11:00 a.m. some commercial shops and private cars were damaged by the explosion.
Around 4:00 p.m. a mortar shell hit al Muthanna airport in west Baghdad. No news about casualties.
An Iraqi soldier was killed and eight others were wounded in a parked car bomb in the entrance of Hurriyah neighborhood in west Baghdad around 6:00 p.m.
Police found two unidentified bodies in Baghdad. The first body was found in Shaab neighborhood while the second body was found in Amil neighborhood.
Kirkuk
A driver of an ambulance and a civilian were injured when a roadside bomb exploded in Tuz Khurmatu town south of Kirkuk on Monday morning.
A source in the Kurdish security forces (Asayish) said that a bomb exploded near the house of a Turkmen teacher in al Askari neighborhood in downtown Tuz Khurmatu south of Kirkuk city on Monday morning.
A source in the Iraqi army said that a force of the Iraqi army raided on Monday morning al Rashad area west Kirkuk city and arrested a person that is called the prince of the Iraqi Islamic state in that area.
Najaf
A roadside bomb exploded in the al Shamiyah area south of Najaf at around 9 p.m. on Sunday. A source from the Iraqi army has told us that an American humvee was destroyed, a soldier was killed and two others were injured. US military said in an emailed reply that they confirm the new of the death of a coalition soldier.
Nineveh
A source in the Iraqi army said that an insurgent attacked a patrol that was joining the director of the tribes affairs in the ministry of interior affairs Major General Marid abdul Hussein. The source said that the insurgent attacked the patrol with the grenades in Sarj Khana area in downtown Mosul city north Iraq. Seven people were injured in the attack including one of the guards of the director.
Police forces arrested six young boys who were accused of being suicide bombers. The boys were arrested in one of the houses in Sumer neighborhood in west Mosul.
Diyala
Gunmen from al Qaida attacked Mohammed Taha , a village east of Baquba city on Monday morning. A member of Sahwa councils was killed and two others were wounded.
A policeman was killed and two others were injured when gunmen attacked Abi Saida village east of Baquba city
A policeman was killed and his six years old son was injured when a bomb exploded near the policeman’s house in Bani Saad district south of Baquba.’
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