AP: Gunmen Kidnap and Kill Iraqi Mayor

[Eugene]

Gunmen Kidnap and Kill Iraqi Mayor

The Associated Press
Monday, March 19, 2007; 4:57 AM

BAGHDAD -- The mayor of a small Shiite village south of Baghdad was
kidnapped on his way to work Monday, and his bullet-riddled body was
later found dumped along a highway, police and morgue officials said.

Police said Khalaf Ghargan, the mayor of Dijelah, was abducted by
gunmen about 300 yards from his home. Witnesses said the kidnappers
ambushed Ghargan's car, dragged him out and sped away. Two
bodyguards and a driver were left behind, they said.

Dijelah lies just south of Kut, 100 miles southeast of Baghdad. Kut is
the capital of Wasit province.

-snip-

Full article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/19/AR2007031900329.html

(Reuters)

FACTBOX-Security developments in Iraq, March 19

March 19 (Reuters) - Following are security developments in Iraq as of 0930 GMT
on Monday:

* denotes a new or updated item.

* BAGHDAD - U.S. forces detained nine suspected insurgents including
an alleged bomb-maker in the cities of Baghdad, Ramadi and Falluja
during operations targeting the al-Qaeda in Iraq network and foreign
fighter facilitators, the U.S. military said in a statement.

* WASIT - Gunmen kidnapped Khalaf al-Dalfi, the mayor of Wasit town,
near the city of Kut, 170 km (100 miles) southeast of Baghdad, police
said.

* NEAR BALAD - Insurgents attacked a police station near Balad with
a car bomb and small-arms fire on Thursday, the U.S. military said on
Monday. Six people were killed in subsequent clashes -- three insurgents,
two policemen and a civilian -- and one civilian was wounded, a U.S.
statement said.

-snip-

Full article: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L19449108.htm

EDIT: added updated Factbox from Reuters

[maddezmom]

1. Bomb kills 3 near mosque in central Baghdad

Bomb kills 3 near mosque in central Baghdad

More BAGHDAD, March 19 (Reuters) - A bomb left in a bag near a mosque in central Baghdad killed three people and wounded 10 on Monday, police sources said.

U.S. and Iraqi security forces are implementing a major security crackdown in Baghdad aimed at stemming sectarian violence but there has been little respite from car bombings and other insurgent attacks.

U.S. commanders have warned that as they take steps to stop car bombs, such as blocking off markets to traffic, insurgents could turn more frequently to suicide vests and other attacks that do not involve vehicles.

more:http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/PAR935417.htm

[maddezmom]

2. update, killing at least 6 & wounding 32

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070319/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_mosque_bombing;_ylt=Atm_6W.86RYetra77y88RT0LewgF

[Eugene]

3. Reuters: Five blasts in Iraq's Kirkuk kill 18, wound 37

Five blasts in Iraq's Kirkuk kill 18, wound 37
19 Mar 2007 11:17:02 GMT
Source: Reuters


KIRKUK, Iraq, March 19 (Reuters) - Three car bombs and two roadside devices
killed 18 people and wounded 37 in the northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk on Monday,
police said.

The blasts happened in different parts of the city but exploded within a few
minutes.

One car bomb targeted the local offices of the secular political party of former
prime minister Iyad Allawi, another one targeted a government building and the
third exploded in a commercial street, Brigadier Sarhat Qader said.

The three roadside bombs targeted Iraqi police and army patrols, Qader said.

Kirkuk, 250 km (155 miles) north of Baghdad, is a city disputed by Arabs,
ethnic Kurds and Turkmen, and violence there is common. Settling its final
status is one of the most sensitive issues in Iraq.

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L19487814.htm

[jazzjunkysue]

4. The surge is working! Yay! n/t.

[saigon68]

7. FREEDOM, DEMOCRACY and EQUALITY are on the March

LOL :-)

[Eugene]

5. AP: Bombs Rock Baghdad, Kirkuk, Killing 26 (Total: 55 dead)

Bombs Rock Baghdad, Kirkuk, Killing 26


Monday March 19, 2007 7:31 PM

AP Photo BAG116, BAG115

By KIM GAMEL

Associated Press Writer

BAGHDAD (AP) - Bombs tore through a Shiite mosque during prayers in Baghdad
and struck several targets in the oil-rich city of Kirkuk, killing at least 26 people
Monday as suspected Sunni insurgents pressed their campaign on the fourth
anniversary of the start of the war.

-snip-

In all, at least 55 Iraqis were killed or found dead in Iraq, including the mayor
of a Shiite village southeast of Baghdad and 29 bullet-riddled bodies that turned
up in the capital.

In the Sunni insurgent stronghold of Anbar province, police said at least 25
decomposed bodies - some beheaded - were found near a post office east of
the provincial capital Ramadi.

-snip-

Full article: http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6492592,00.html

The article continues with details of the bombing along with
other violence around Iraq.

[AlCzervik]

6. what about the other Baghdad mayors that are alive?

seriously is this part of the surge thats working? :sarcasm:

[superconnected]

8. How sad. The place is still in total chaos.