Gorilla’s Guides

Baqubah: Three Resistance Fighters Killed : Arms Cache Discovered

Three resistance fighters were killed during an attack on a green zone government forces checkpoint. The American Army of occupation said in a statement that they had seized a cache of explosives.

Source: Aswat al Iraq

Kut: Bodies

14 unidentified corpses were buried today. They had been found during the week at various places in the governorate. All were wearing civilian clothes all had been shot dead. The decedents included one woman. Signs of torture prior to their murder were present. The total of such burials of unidenified murder victims from the end of August 2006 to December 31st 2006 is 177.

Source: Aswat al Iraq

Anbar : Attack on Returning Pilgrims

Aswat al Iraq have published an English translation of this report. There are no significant diffences between the English and Arabic versions. The text below is from the English version:

Pilgrims-Attack
Nine killed, at least ten wounded in attack on Iraqi pilgrim convoy
By Ali al-Nashi
Karbalaa, Jan 10, (VOI) – Unidentified gunmen attacked a convoy of Iraqi pilgrims on their way home from the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, killing nine and wounding at least ten including a member of parliament, a security source in Karbalaa said on Wednesday.
Masked gunmen ambushed the convoy of pilgrims on a desert road near Anbar province, some 120 km west of Karbalaa, boarded one of the buses, killed nine pilgrims and wounded at least ten on Wednesday evening, the source told the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI).
The wounded included legislator Haidar al-Seweedy, the source added.

Source: Aswat al Iraq [Arabic] Source: Aswat al Iraq [English]

American Army Of Occupation Casualties:

Aswat al Iraq have published an English translation of this report. There are no significant diffences between the English and Arabic versions. The text below is from the English version:

Three U.S. soldiers killed in Anbar, Diala
Baghdad, Jan 10, (VOI) – Three U.S. soldiers were killed in military operations in the Iraqi provinces of Anbar and Diala, the U.S. army in Iraq said on Wednesday.
“One soldier assigned to 1st Marine Expeditionary Force Headquarters Group and one soldier assigned to 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division died Tuesday from wounds sustained due to … action while operating in Al Anbar Province,” the army said in a statement received by the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI).
The army earlier reported that “a Task Force Lightning Soldier assigned to 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, died Tuesday as a result of injuries sustained from a gunshot wound while conducting combat operations in Diala Province.”
This raises the number of American soldiers killed in Iraq since the U.S.-led invasion in March 2003 to 3,017 according to U.S. data.

Source: Aswat al Iraq [English] Source: Aswat al Iraq [Arabic]

Tikrit: Bomb

A green zone government police patrol was attacked by a bomber. One of the patrol members was seriously wounded. An unidentified body was discovered South of Tikrit.

Source: Aswat al Iraq

Mosul: Mortar Attack

Aswat al Iraq have published an English translation of this report. There are no significant diffences between the English and Arabic versions. The text below is from the English version:

Mortars wound nine women and children in Mosul
By Ibrahim Zannoun
Mosul, Jan 10, (VOI) – Nine women and children were wounded when mortar shells fell on a school in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, Iraqi police said on Wednesday.
Three mortar shells hit in the afternoon Maisslon preparatory school for girls in al-Yarmouk neighborhood in southwestern Mosul, a source in Ninawa police operations room told the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI).
The incident took place before the end of school day. Four students were wounded along with three children and two women who happened to be near the school at the time, he said.
The source said it was likely that the police station near the school was the target of the mortar attack.

Source: Aswat al Iraq [Arabic] Source: Aswat al Iraq [English]

Kirkuk: 2 bombings three wounded.

 Three civilians wounded one of them seriously in a bombing of a market in central Kirkuk. The governorate HQ was bombed earlier in the day without casualties.

Source: Aswat al Iraq

Hilla: 5 Bodies found

Five bodies showing signs of torture have been discovered in various parts of North Hilla. They are believed to have been civilians. 4 were discovered on the same farm in Alexandria the fifth on the al-Mosaiab road.

Source: Aswat al Iraq

Anbar: New American Base

Aswat al Iraq have published an English translation of this report. There are no significant diffences between the English and Arabic versions. The text below is from the English version:

Falluja, Jan 10, (VOI) – Eyewitnesses reported on Wednesday that the U.S. forces took over a residential complex in Rawa town, Anbar province, as a new base.
The forces moved on Wednesday morning to Hasa residential complex, 15 km west of Rawa, one of the witnesses told the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI).
U.S. convoys began arriving this morning to the base and started building sand and concrete barricades around the new military base, he said.
Warning signs were posted advising citizens against approaching the U.S. army base.
Rawa has been a calm town in contrast to the violence engulfing other towns in Anbar province.

Source: Aswat al Iraq [Arabic] Source: Aswat al Iraq - English

Jaafari: Praises Security Situation in Basrah

Dr Ibrahim Jaafari, a member of the House of Representatives and former Iraqi Prime Minister [ He’s head of the Dawa party and ousted from the premiership in favour of Maliki by the Americans in a political coup backed up by threats. He ”wears the pants in Dawa not Maliki - markfromireland] . Said today that the security situation in Basra is relatively stable compared to other provinces. During a meeting with the Basra Governorate today he said:

“I realise that the security situation in Basra is very good compared to if security conditions in other provinces.”

Commentary:

I’ll bet Khalizaid nearly widdled himself with fuss when he heard that - to say nothing of what British feelings must be. Note to Mohammed Ibn Laith. You now owe your father, Ali, and me, several kilogrammes of chocolate. - mfi

Source: Aswat al Iraq

Baghdad: Govt. funded newspaper employee kidnapped

Aswat al Iraq have published an English translation of this report. There are no significant diffences between the English and Arabic versions. The text below is from the English version:

Govt. funded newspaper employee kidnapped in Baghdad
By Hadi al-Hadi
Baghdad, Jan 10, (VOI) –A computer engineer working for the Iraqi government funded al-Sabah newspaper was kidnapped in Baghdad, an official source at al-Sabah said on Wednesday.
“An armed group kidnapped on Tuesday afternoon the computer engineer Aqeel Adnan outside the newspaper head-office in al-Waziriyah neighborhood, northeast of Baghdad,” the source, who asked not to be named, told the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI).
The source added “the kidnapped engineer has no political or sectarian ties.”
Al-Sabah newspaper is a daily funded by the Iraqi government.

Source: Aswat al Iraq [English] Source: Aswat al Iraq [arabic]

 

Karbala: Ashura : Incident Room | Control Centre Set Up

The security room and incident centre for the forthcoming Ashura celebrations has gone into operation.

More than 3 million pilgrims are expected. Aqeel Mahmoud Khaz’ali has demanded that the green zone government provide assistance in terms of providing the materials necessary including:

• Gas
• Oil
• Parafin (kerosene)

He pointed out the consquences of failure to do so. The city suffers from constant interruptions to the power supply as well the fuel crises. Also see this report [English I won’t translate the Arabic version as there are no significant differences - markfromireland]

Source: Aswat al Iraq

Sistani Meeting (Updated)

Aswat al Iraq have published an English translation of this report.  The text below is from the English version:

Najaf, Jan 10, (VOI) – The top Shiite cleric in Iraq Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani urged the Iraqi government to impose the rule of law where governmental forces would be only force to bear arms, Iraq’s national security advisor said.
“Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani urged the government to treat all people equal before the law without discrimination because of political or sectarian ties,” Mawaffaq al-Rubaie told reporters after a meeting with al-Sistani.
The national security advisor also said “ the top Shiite cleric stressed that governmental forces should be only force to bear arms in Iraq.”
Ayatollah al-Sistani called on the government to make every effort to ensure the return of the displaced to their homes and offer them protection, the advisor added.
Al-Rubaie is expected to visit the Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr in Najaf.
Earlier, Iraq’s national security advisor Mawaffaq al-Rubaie arrived in the Shiite sacred city of Najaf to meet the top Shiite cleric in Iraq Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani.

The Arabic version mentions that the refugee situation was a major topic during the meeting.

Link to Aswat al Iraq [Arabic]  Source: Aswat al Iraq [English]

Tal Afar (Near Mosul)

Aswat al Iraq have published an English translation of this report. There are no significant diffences between the English and Arabic versions. The text below is from the English version:

Talafar-Bombings
20 casualties in two suicide bombings near Mosul
By Ibrahim Zannun
Mosul, Jan 10, (VOI) – At least five people, including a child, were killed and 15 others were wounded on Monday in two suicide bombings near the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, a security source said.
“A suicide attacker detonated today morning explosives strapped to his body near al-Tahadi police station in Talafar town, northwest of Mosul, killing four people and wounding 12,” the source, who spoke under the condition of anonymity, told the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI).
All the casualties were civilians, the source added.
In a separate incident, a suicide bomber detonated on Monday morning an explosives-rigged car targeting an Iraqi police patrol vehicle in Talafar killing a child and wounding three people, the source added.

Source: Aswat al Iraq [Arabic] Source: Aswat al Iraq [English]

Other Reports:

Reuters:

Jan 10 (Reuters) - Following are security developments in Iraq as of 2000 GMT on Wednesday: * Denotes a new or updated item. *KERBALA - Gunmen opened fire on two buses of Shi’ite pilgrims …  Full article

Weary Iraqis await Bush’s new way forward
10 Jan 2007 20:42:40 GMT
Source: Reuters
(Updates with Bush calling Shi’ite political leader para 6, 60 bodies found para 4, and updated death toll in bus attack) By Ibon Villelabeitia BAGHDAD, Jan 10 (Reuters) - U.S. President George W …  Full article

Gunmen kill 11 pilgrims in Iraq - officials
10 Jan 2007 20:40:21 GMT
Source: Reuters
(Updates toll, adds governor comments) KERBALA, Iraq, Jan 10 (Reuters) - Gunmen opened fire on two buses of Iraqi pilgrims returning to the Shi’ite city of Kerbala from the haj at Mecca in …  Full article

FACTBOX-Highlights of Bush’s Iraq plan
10 Jan 2007 19:48:57 GMT
Source: Reuters
Jan 10 (Reuters) - U.S. President George W. Bush will unveil on Wednesday his new plan for Iraq that includes a 21,500 increase in U.S. troops and and reconstruction efforts aimed at halting sectarian …  Full article

Bush to order 21,500 more troops to Iraq
10 Jan 2007 18:21:19 GMT
Source: Reuters
(Updates troop number, adds costs, other details) By Steve Holland WASHINGTON, Jan 10 (Reuters) - President George W. Bush will tell skeptical Americans on Wednesday he will send about 21,500 …  Full article

McLatchy

Roundup of violence in Iraq - 10 January 2007 - 1/10/2007 02:28 PM EST
By MOHHAMED al AWSY, McClatchy Newspapers
The daily Iraq violence report is compiled by McClatchy Newspapers Special Correspondent Mohammed al Awsy in Baghdad from police, military and medical reports. This is not a comprehensive list of all violence in Iraq, much of which goes unreported. It’s posted without editing as transmitted to McClatchy’s Washington Bureau.

U.S. and Iraqi troops combat suspected insurgents in Baghdad - 1/09/2007 09:29 PM EST
By Leila Fadel and Mohammed al Dulaimy, McClatchy Newspapers
U.S. and Iraqi troops, backed by American F-15 jet fighters and Apache attack helicopters, fought suspected insurgents for at least 12 hours Tuesday in one of Baghdad’s most dangerous neighborhoods in what may be a preview of expanded U.S. operations here.

Soldiers doubt an influx of American troops will benefit Iraqi army - 1/09/2007 06:17 PM EST
By Nancy A. Youssef, McClatchy Newspapers
It was supposed to be a get-together to introduce the Sunni Muslim mayor and police chief of Muqdadiyah to the mostly Shiite Muslim Iraqi soldiers who’d been assigned to protect their town.

But as the mayor and police chief approached the entrance last month, Iraqi troops seized their bodyguards and tossed them to the ground. Then the soldiers put their boots on the bodyguards’ backs, a literal reminder that the Sunni officials were under the boot of the Shiite military.

Other Coverage:

BLACKWATER USA… ONWARD CHRISTIAN SOLDIERS:

BLACKWATER USA
ONWARD CHRISTIAN SOLDIERS
By: Al Cronkrite
Did you know that the United States government is spending billions of dollars hiring paramilitary troops being used in clandestine operations as well as in the War in Iraq and even on our own soil?

Making a Killing - The Center for Public Integrity:

Privatizing Combat, the New World Order
By Laura Peterson
WASHINGTON, October 28, 2002 — In 1998, unbeknownst to most Americans, the United States had a military presence in a remote African war that drew little attention from the media. Unlike other U.S. interventions in Somalia, Bosnia, Haiti and Kosovo, there was no hand-wringing over whether a deployment was justified by U.S. national interests, whether troops would be spread too thin, whether American men and women should be put in harm’s way in a fight that had little to do with Main Street America, or whether the level of barbarity justified, on its own merits, the deployment of U.S. troops on humanitarian grounds.

Zenit News Agency - The World Seen From Rome:

Christian College and a Seminary Leave Baghdad
BAGHDAD, Iraq, JAN. 7, 2007 (Zenit.org).- Iraq’s only faculty of Christian theology and a seminary have moved out of Baghdad for security reasons.
Babel College and St. Peter’s Major Seminary departed for Ankawa, in the Kurdish region of Iraq.
Patriarch Emmanuel III Delly of Babylon of the Chaldeans told Vatican Radio: “We have thought of the move for a long time: to go to a tranquil place to be able to study better. When the situation is calmer, they will return to their site.”
The exodus of Christians from the area began in earnest on Aug. 1, 2004, when a car bomb exploded outside the Chaldean church of Sts. Peter and Paul, near the major seminary. The blast killed 15 and wounded hundreds.
The rector and vice rector of the seminary, Father Sami Al-Rais and Father Salem Basel, were briefly kidnapped in recent months.

Payvand : Why the US Is Not Leaving Iraq:

Neither the Iraq Study Group nor other establishment critics of the Iraq war are calling for the withdrawal of US troops from that country. To the extent that the Study Group or the new Congress purport to inject some “realism” into the Iraq policy, such projected modifications do not seem to amount to more than changing the drivers of the US war machine without changing its destination, or objectives: control of Iraq’s political and economic policies.
In light of fact that by now almost all of the factions of the ruling circles, including the White House and the neoconservative war-mongers, acknowledge the failure of the Iraq war, why, then, do they balk at the idea of pulling the troops out of that country?
Perhaps the shortest path to a relatively satisfactory answer would be to follow the money. The fact is that not everyone is losing in Iraq. Indeed, while the Bush administration’s wars of choice have brought unnecessary death, destruction, and disaster to millions, including many from the Unites States, they have also brought fortunes and prosperity to war profiteers. At the heart of the reluctance to withdraw from Iraq lies the profiteers’ unwillingness to give up further fortunes and spoils of war.

Who is losing in Iraq?: ZAMAN DAILY NEWSPAPER (2007011039779):

In order to answer the questions of whether America has won or lost in Iraq or to what degree America has won or lost, it is necessary to look at why American invaded Iraq. America had three main targets in occupying Iraq: (1) To guarantee America’s absolute dominance in the 21st century. Since Islam and even the present condition of the Islamic world are an important obstacle to this goal, to turn it into a Protestant Islam by means of isolating it from the social, economic and political dimensions shaped by the belief in Unity that commands independence and opposes every kind of exploitation and oppression; to divide the Islamic world one more time by separating it into smaller states on ethnic and sectarian bases. (2) For the sake of America’s dominance in the world and, of course, for the interests of oil companies of which members at the highest level of the current Republican administration are partners, to takeover and keep, at the highest level, control of Asia and Africa’s oil and energy fields, particularly in the Middle East. (3) To get an absolute guarantee of Israel’s security.

Khilafah.com - Vigils, Rallies Commemorate 3000 U.S. Military Deaths in Iraq:

Peace groups across the United States marked the 3,000th U.S. military death in Iraq with protests and vigils this weekend and promised to continue to press to end the war.
“We’re very saddened at the death, but we feel it’s very important that not one more dollar be spent on this war in Iraq,” Janis Shields of the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) told OneWorld.

Dunya Online Haber Sayfası : Baghdad Crash:

A plane carrying 35 people crashed during landing at an airstrip near Baghdad yesterday, killing 32 and injuring one, with the remaining passengers missing.
The plane was trying to land at a US military base 80 kilometers north of Baghdad when it crashed. The Moldova-registered Antonov-26 plane had taken off from an airport in Turkey’s southern city of Adana and was carrying construction workers from the Kulak construction company. Adana Governor Cahit Kirac said preliminary reports suggested that the crash was due to bad weather.

Dunya Online Haber Sayfasi : Erdogan on Kirkuk:

Speaking at his party’s group meeting yesterday, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan decried recent efforts to change the demographic makeup of Kirkuk, a northern Iraqi city with a large ethnic Turkmen population, saying that Ankara wouldn’t allow a fait accompli to take place there.
“The outcome of a referendum in the city (planned for later this year) is already clear,” said Erdogan. “Such an outcome isn’t healthy, and a fait accompli which doesn’t consider neighboring countries won’t help Iraq’s stability. Ethnic groups in Iraq should especially listen to these warnings.” Stressing that the Iraq issue has eclipsed even Turkey’s European Union membership bid in importance, Erdogan stated that he had to say this due to recent developments. “I want to draw people’s attention to dangerous developments in the country,” added Erdogan.

Dunya Online Haber Sayfasi : US State Dept’s Bryza: We should take more measures in Iraq  :

Matt Bryza, the US deputy assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian affairs, yesterday said that the US should take more measures against the terrorist PKK in northern Iraq.
Speaking at a seminar on Turkish-European Union relations held by the American-Turkish Council (ATC), Bryza said, “We should give Turkey more help to counter the threat of terrorism. We’ve done a lot with our European partners. We share information with Turkey, but we should do more in Iraq. I understand the impatience of our Turkish friends. I don’t blame them.”

 

 markfromireland

Indexed under: Aswat Al Iraq - News, Disputed Areas, Diyala, Kirkuk, Kirkuk (At-Ta'mim) Governorate, Turkey

Posted on January 10th, 2007 under Iraq, Middle East. Tags: Aswat Al Iraq - News, Disputed Areas, Diyala, Kirkuk, Kirkuk (At-Ta'mim) Governorate, Turkey. RSS 2.0 feed. Leave a response, or trackback.