36 Killed in Clashes South of Baghdad

[maddezmom]

Source: AP

BAGHDAD As many as 36 people were killed in a fierce battle early Monday between Shiite militiamen and British forces doing house-to-house searches south of Baghdad, Iraqi police and hospital officials said.

The clashes took place in Amarah, 200 miles southeast of Baghdad, the officials said.

A doctor at the city's general hospital said 36 bodies had been taken to his facility, though he could not determine how many were militiamen and how many were civilians. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to media.

The British military could not immediately comment on the reports.


Read more: http://www.dailycomet.com/article/20070618/API/706180531

---

British, Iraqi forces kill 16 in southern province raid


AMARA, Iraq (AFP) - Night-time raids by British and Iraqi forces in the southern province of Maysan left 16 people dead and nearly 40 wounded, a medic told AFP on Monday.

Simultaneous raids were carried out in two areas of Maysan, one involving a sweep in the provincial capital Amara and in the area of Al-Mujar al-Kabir area, 30 kilometres (18 miles) south.

"There are 16 killed and 37 wounded, including women and children, in the operation," said Jameel Mohammed, director at the Amara health office.

The British military, based in the southern city of Basra, confirmed the operation.

"Iraqi special forces backed by multinational forces were involved in a operation in the Maysan province, but we are still awaiting details," spokesman Major David Gell told AFP.

more:http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070618/wl_afp/iraqunrestbritainraid_070618062656

[Vexatious Ape]

1. All victims of:

Religious insanity
Tribalism
Nationalism
Imperialism
and of course Bushism.

[maddezmom]

2. 2 dead in Iraqi police clash with Shiite militia

Baghdad: Clashes erupted early on Monday between Shiite militiamen and Iraqi police south of Baghdad, leaving at least two people dead, local officials said.

Fighting began after some police patrols were attacked Sunday night in Nasiriyah, about 320 kilometers southeast of the capital, police said. Members of the of Mahdi Army, the militia commanded by radical Shiite cleric Muqtada Al Sadr, were believed to be responsible, a police officer and an official in the town's health department said, both on condition of anonymity out of security concerns.

Some local tribesman had joined the fight, siding with Iraqi police in trying to oust the militiamen from their town, the officials said.

more:http://www.gulf-news.com/region/Iraq/10133263.html

[az chela]

3. May you and cheney rot in hell g bush

[Eugene]

4. Police, gunmen clash in Iraq's south, 4 killed

Source: Reuters

Police, gunmen clash in Iraq's south, 4 killed
18 Jun 2007 08:38:58 GMT
Source: Reuters

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - At least four people were killed and
54 wounded on Monday in clashes between gunmen loyal to
cleric Moqtada al Sadr and police in the southern Shi'ite
city of Nassiriya, hospital sources and police said.

The sources said the clashes erupted overnight when police
attacked a Sadr office in Nassiriya in an apparent response
to an attack on the head of police which left him wounded.

The sources said the police accused the Mehdi Army of
attacking the head of police.

Nassiriya is one of Iraq's oil rich cities and has been
relatively calm. Last year, Italian troops handed over
security in the city to Iraqi forces.

Link: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/KAR130576.htm

[maddezmom]

5. Nasiriya clashes kill 2, wound 52; Baghdad car bombs kill 9

Nasiriya clashes kill 2, wound 52; Baghdad car bombs kill 9
BAGHDAD (CNN) -- Two car bombs exploded close to each other near a fuel station in southwest Baghdad at noon Monday, killing nine people and wounding 25 others, an Iraqi Interior Ministry official said.

The explosions, which happened on a road between the Saydiya and Dora districts, also damaged several cars, the official said.

In the southern Iraq city of Nasiriya, two people were killed -- including an Iraqi police officer -- and 52 people were wounded in clashes between Iraqi security forces and Mahdi militia loyal to radical Shiite cleric Muqtada Sadr, according to an Iraqi Interior Ministry official. Nasiriya is a Shiite city about 230 miles south of Baghdad. (Posted 5:20 a.m.)



http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/europe/06/18/monday/index.html?section=cnn_latest

[maddezmom]

6. Coalition raids target flow of Iranian aid to insurgents

Coalition raids target flow of Iranian aid to insurgents
POSTED: 5:15 a.m. EDT, June 18, 2007

Story Highlights• NEW: 2 car bombs explode in Baghdad, killing 4 and wounding 10
• U.S. military says at least 20 terrorists were killed and 6 wounded in strafe
• Raids apparently involved Iraqi and British troops in a multi-national force
• British military says Iraqi Prime Minister personally authorized raids

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Coalition raids aimed at disrupting the flow of weapons and fighters between Iraq and Iran resulted in at least 20 militants killed early Monday in eastern Iraq, according to a statement from the U.S. military.

Coalition aircraft were called in to strafe fighters who attacked Coalition troops in Amarah and Majjar al-Kabir, two Shiite cities in the Mayson province bordering Iran, the military said.

"During the close air support, at least 20 terrorists were killed and six suspected terrorists were assessed to be wounded by the strafing," the military said. "A vehicle being used by the terrorists as a fighting position was also destroyed by the close air support."

Coalition forces captured militants who are "believed to be members of the secret cell terrorist network known for facilitating the transport of weapons and explosively formed penetrators, or EFPs, from Iran to Iraq, as well as bringing militants from Iraq to Iran for terrorist training," the military said.

more:http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/06/18/iraq.main/index.html?section=cnn_latest

[Eagle_Eye]

7. Violence is not working in Iraq. We need to withdraw our troops and seek a diplomatic solution

This continuation of the war by bush is for the sole purpose of putting taxpayer dollars into the pockets of defense contractors. The war has been lost for years (some say the war was lost from day one) but we just keep buying materials to send to Iraq. The number of 435 billion dollars was reported recently, and just who got most of that money?

[Eugene]

8. New Military Operations Underway in Iraq

Source: Associated Press

New Military Operations Underway in Iraq

Monday June 18, 2007 12:16 PM

-snip-

By SINAN SALAHEDDIN

Associated Press Writer

BAGHDAD (AP) - U.S. and Iraqi forces began major military
operations Monday along Baghdad's southern and northern
belts, military officials said.

An official in the office of Iraq's national security adviser
confirmed the operations, which also were launched in the
Tharthar area near Fallujah and in Diyala province.

Iraqi security forces were in the lead, backed by U.S.
forces, the official said on condition of anonymity for
security reasons. He refused to estimate the number of
troops involved, or how long the operations would last.

The U.S. military confirmed operations were under way
but did not give more details.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6717645,00.html

[Eugene]

9. Falluja car bomb kills 3 - Reuters Factbox

Source: Reuters

FACTBOX-Security developments in Iraq, June 18
18 Jun 2007 11:31:55 GMT
Source: Reuters

June 18 (Reuters) - Following are security developments in Iraq
at 1100 GMT on Monday:

* denotes new or updated item.

-snip-

* BAGHDAD - Nine people were killed and 25 wounded when two car
bombs exploded in quick succession as motorists queued for petrol
in the southern Saidiya district of Baghdad, police said. Eight
cars were set on fire.

-snip-

FALLUJA - Three people were killed and 15 wounded in a car bomb
attack at a popular market in the Sunni Arab stronghold of Falluja,
50 km (35 miles) west of Baghdad, police said.

-snip-

BAGHDAD - The bodies of five people were found in different districts
of Baghdad on Sunday, police said.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/BUL839935.htm

[ellisonz]

10. Again?

:sarcasm:

[Eugene]

11. U.S. attacks gunmen on Baghdad's flanks (at least 111 dead across Iraq)

Source: Associated Press

U.S. attacks gunmen on Baghdad's flanks

By STEVEN R. HURST, Associated Press Writer
26 minutes ago

BAGHDAD - U.S. and Iraqi forces launched attacks on Baghdad's
northern and southern flanks to clear out Sunni insurgents,
al-Qaida fighters and Shiite militiamen who had fled the capital
and Anbar during a four-month-old security operation, military
officials said Monday.

-snip-

The death toll in sectarian violence Monday skyrocketed after a
brief period of relative peace. At least 111 people were killed
or found dead nationwide, with 33 bodies of torture victims
showing up in Baghdad alone.

Well to the south, Iraqi officials reported as many as 36 people
were killed in fierce overnight fighting that began as British
and Iraqi forces conducted house-to-house searches in Amarah,
a stronghold of the Shiite Mahdi Army militia.

-snip-

Elsewhere in Iraq, CBS News reported Monday that U.S. soldiers
last week discovered two dozen emaciated boys at a government-
run orphanage for special needs children in central Baghdad —
some tied to cribs and covered in their own feces. The soldiers
said they found shelves filled with food and new clothes still in
their plastic wrapping in the facility, according to the report.

-snip-

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070619/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq

[Eugene]

12. New story at AP link: U.S. soldiers kill 22 insurgents in Iraq (New offensive Tuesday)

Original story: U.S. Attacks Gunmen on Baghdad's Flanks

---

Source: Associated Press

U.S. soldiers kill 22 insurgents in Iraq

By STEVEN R. HURST, Associated Press Writer
9 minutes ago

BAGHDAD - About 10,000 U.S. soldiers launched an offensive
against al-Qaida in Iraq northeast of Baghdad early Tuesday,
killing at least 22 insurgents, the U.S. military said.

The raids, dubbed "Operation Arrowhead Ripper," took place
in Baqouba, the capital of Diyala province, and involved air
assaults under the cover of darkness, the military said in a
statement. The operation was still in its opening stages, it
said.

On Monday, military officials said U.S. and Iraqi forces had
launched attacks on Baghdad's northern and southern flanks
to clear out Sunni insurgents, al-Qaida fighters and Shiite
militiamen who had fled the capital and Anbar during a four-
month-old security operation.

A top U.S. military official said American forces were taking
advantage of the arrival of the final brigade of 30,000
additional U.S. troops to open concerted attacks.

-snip-

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070619/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq