Reports from Irak July 2nd 2007 Summarised from Arabic Sources
On July 2nd 2007 The Americans Committed Yet Another War Crime in Irak.
Residents gather at the site of the American airstrike on civilian homes at Salim Street Diwaniyah, 10 dead, 30 wounded, most of the dead and wounded were children. Most of the wounded were described by medical staff in the local hospital as being in “critical condition.”
Early on the morning of July 2nd 2007 an American airstrike demolished ”at least nine” houses in al-Jumuhuriyah, a residential district in the south eastern part of Diwaniyah. The attack was centred on Salim Street but homes in two other streets were also destroyed. The local hospital received 10 bodies and 30 wounded every single one of them were civilians. Most of the dead and wounded civilians were children. Doctors at the hospital said that the condition of most of the wounded was critical. Many residents fled expecting the Americans to come back and bomb them again. That was a reasonable fear it wouldn’t be the first that the Americans have done precisely that.
At noon today there was a demonstration. The green zone government police opened fire and were fired upon in turn. One man was killed two of the “police” were injured. Green zone government forces are now deployed in the city on a large scale, all shops and markets closed doors early during the day. The American base “Camp Echo” is located about 5 km away it had earlier come under rocket attack. In return the Americans slaughtered 10 civilians and wounded another 30 — most of them children. So much for America being a civilised country and the hell of it is that the child killers in uniform with “old glory” sewn on didn’t even have the decency to blow themselves up in the process of slaughtering children.
Reports From Baghdad
Iraqi, Syrian concerns over Turkish Ilisu Dam
Both Aswat Al Iraq and Nahrain.com have published reports on the meeting between Iraki, Syrian, and Turkish officials on the Ilisu dam. Aswat Al Iraq have published an English langauge report also. The text below is from the English report on Aswat Al Iraq:
Baghdad, Jul 2, (VOI) – The Iraqi and Syrian governments expressed their concerns over a Turkish project to build a dam across the Tigris River, an Iraqi government source said on Monday.
“The Iraqi and Syrian governments voiced their concerns over the repercussions of building Ilisu Dam by the Turkish government during (tripartite) meetings of technical committees for international waters between Iraq, Syria and Turkey, held in Damascus last month after a 15-year suspension,” an official source from the Iraqi Ministry of Water Resources, who asked his name not to be mentioned, told the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI).
The Iraqi and Syrian sides stressed their rejection of any project on the Tigris River, which they said may affect their future water supply, highlighting Turkey’s right to set up projects that do not harm neighboring countries.
During the meeting, the Iraqi side detailed the damage that may be caused by the dam, arguing that it will affect the amount of water Iraq receives and increase the salinity of the river water. The Iraqi side said that an estimated water supply of no less than 200 m3/s will be required for Iraq after the building of the controversial dam.
The Turkish side said that the dam project is meant to generate electricity for underdeveloped and arid parts of the country, and not to irrigate lands. In an attempt to allay concerns over its plan, the Turkish government said that the dam is designed to regulate the flow of water, but will not cause any damage to neighboring countries, Syria and Iraq.
Representatives from the Iraqi, Syrian and Turkish governments indicated that the technical committees will resume their biannual meetings and the minutes were signed and agreed to be submitted to the ministries of water resources in the three countries.
Nahrain’s report is here, Aswat Al Iraq’s Arabic report on the meeting in Damascus is here.
4 civilians have been killed and 4 others wounded in violence in West Baghdad so far tonight the cause is a mix of mortar shells and shooting.
A policeman killed, this afternoon, by a sniper in the central Baghdad neighbourhood of Karadah
27 bodies have been recovered in Baghdad.
Who Writes This Guy’s Lines?
Nouri Al Maliki’s senior military adviser is complaining that despite the green zone government spending $ 500 million 7 months ago to be supplied with weapons the US has so far only supplied the green zone government with 5,000 light machine guns. Which as he accurately points out:
If you listen to the report (and if you listen closely you can hear the sweat cascading off him) he complained about this latest piece of typically American dilettantism. Saying that if there was not a rapid improvement of the Iraki green zone government forces the security situation would collapse and that this would have disastrous consequences:
“Any American withdrawal without speeding up the processing (the process of improving) of Iraki forces will lead to the collapse of the security situation and (of) the entire American project in the region”
He whined said.
You can listen to the report segments here, here, and here try not to laugh too much at the bit about Maliki complaining to Cheney and make sure you have no liquid in your mouth when it gets to the bit about the green zone government investigating the possibility of buying its weapons from the former Soviet Union and from The People’s Republic of China.
The text report which we swear we haven’t made up because nobody is that imaginative can be found here.
Two people were killed and 13 more were wounded in the bombing near al-Nidawi markets in the neighborhood adjacent to Sadr City. Update: Nine people were killed and 33 wounded.
Armed clashes have broken out between Green zone government Interior ministry commandos and fighters in Bai’aa south Baghdad.
4 green zone government police have been killed in a gun attack in Musayyib.
A fire has broken out in Sadr city several shops have been destroyed the fire Belagh’s correspondent reported that the fire was caused by an electric contact in one of the shops, which led the fire to outbreak to the shops beside him.
The Central Criminal Court has sentenced four people to death for involvement in terrorist activities. A variety of custodial sentences were imposed upon other defendants.
There are unconfirmed reports that the Sadrists may end their parliamentary boycott.
Kurdish separatist politician and green zone government President Jalal Talabani has denied that he accused Arab countries of supporting terrorism in Irak at the recent Socialist International conference he issued a statement saying it was all a misunderstanding caused by “media hostile to the democratic federal Iraq.” (It must be catching)
The four-party alliance are trying negotiations again after they stalled on the key issue of Kirkuk. Dawa and SIIC (SCIRI) are going to try again to negotiate with the two Kurdish parties to form a bloc. Last week saw the collapse of the negotiations as result of strong disagreements on the referendum planned for the future of the city of Kirkuk. The Sadrists oppose these negotiations.
There is a lot of coverage of the American Allegations that the “Al Quds” formations who report directly to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei were involved in the kidnapping and killing of Americans from Karbala in January on the basis of a confession from a man alleged by the Americans to be a senior Hizballah (Lebanon) operative. This report is typical it adds a few details and is largely based on this AFP report. Given the timing and the provenance of the allegations and the naked desire of the Cheney Bush administration to find an excuse to confront Iran directly we suggest you take treat the report with considerable scepticism. Audio report here. The ”Mahdi Army” have vigorously denied that they have received military assistance from Hizballah or anybody outside Irak’s borders. The Americans claim that the source of these allegations is data from interrogating a senior Hizballah operative Moussa Daqduq who they detained on March 20 in southern Iraq. These accusations are part of a sustained campaign by the American army to prove a link between Iran and the violence in Irak.
Reports From The Governorates
Reports
Babil Governorate
30000 dunums of land in Babil and up to Diwaniyah are to be irrigated if a new irrigation project proceeds. The Shatt al-Hillah project is also to go ahead.
The project to deliver water to Nasiriyah and five other large towns is experiencing difficulties at present the water project capacity of 2000 M 3 / hour is operating at 20% of capacity because of a lack of electricity. The project was scheduled to end last year.
The second phase of the campaign against the brucellosis has started. The campaign will last about 45 days.
Basra Governorate
Update: Honey Badgers are attacking residents of Basrah and farmers in outlying districts especially at night. (See previous rabies reports 1 and pdf briefings. )
The JCC and the British bases underwent their daily attack. No casualties.
Almelaf is citing a report that says that Iran has encouraged a number of senior Sadrist leaders to leave the Mahdi Army and form their own organisations. The report cites the organisation in Basrah set up by the Khaz’ali brothers (who were detained by American forces several days ago) as an example.
The body of Police Brigadier Jasim Sukkar who was abducted on Sunday night has been found. Basrah has seen a sustained campaign against senior police officers in the last few weeks.
Dahuk Governorate
The Turks have shelled Nazdur again.
Dhi Qar Governorate
French companies will start work soon establishment of a number of infrastructure projects in Dhi Qar Media Center for Communication.
A joint Environment Directorate / WHO water hygiene awareness programme started today. The program will include the use of simplified methods in sterilising water, the citizen’s role in protecting water sources from pollution, sewerage in the water and its impact on healh. Three such sessions a month are planned targeting community leaders, teachers, journalists etc. The courses are givien by Dhi Qar university staff.
The gas crisis in Nasiriyah may be coming to an end. Repairing the pipeline took 5 days — previously there were alternatives for the transfer of the product, whether a fleet of road transport or rail cars but this has been stopped because of orders issued the green zone government in response to the security situation leaving only the very vulnerable pipeline available.
Diyala Governorate
Two border police officers were killed and three of their troops wounded by a bomb on the road near Khanaqin.
The green zone government commander for the recent operations in Baqubah claimed his forces had “killed more than 100 terrorists arrested 136 more and found 46 caches of weapons, he said was being delivered to civilians and denied reports of civilian casualties caused by green zone government troops and their American superiors.
Karbala Governorate
Authorities in Karbala say they have prevented a major car and suicide belt bombing campaign and detained the plotters together with their materiel.
Ninawa Governorate
There are reports from Sinjar that green zone government forces have detained a prominent Kurdish leader who they say is the ring leader of a PKK linked terror cell. A green zone government soldier one of a group of soldiers kidnapped by the cell managed to escape from where he was being held close to the police directorate and inform the governorate security forces leading to the raid the kidnapped persons had been tortured.
Reports From Mosul Observer:
19:38
Arresting General Salem Al-Haj Issaa, Chairman of Nineveh Governorate (County) Council for Corruption
Nineveh Police arrested today, Monday 2/7/2007, Chairman of Nineveh Governorate Council for financial and administrative corruption according to item 135 of The Penalties Act which addresses malfeasance (administrative and fiscal corruption the state). The arrest had been issued by Anti-Corruption Commission.
The arrest order came after investigations with some Council Members which showed organised corruption operations. Al-Haj Issa was nominated for this post by Kurdish List which Al-Haj Issa was a member of.
12:07
Violent clashes between the Army and Gunmen in Badouche, Nineveh
Confrontations between the forces of the Second Regimen of the Second Division of the Iraqi Army took place in Badouche, 20Km north west of City of Mosul. One private was killed and 3 others injured. Among the gunmen, 17 were killed. Two bomb-loaded vehicles were destroyed and three more other vehicles were confiscated.
08:48
Explosion in Mosul today 2/7/2007
An explosive device targeted a police patrol at the Hospital Roundabout killed a policeman and wounded 2 other policemen and a civilian
Source: Mosul Observer
(See also KUNA: Brigadier General Habib obeyed Khazraji told reporters that his troops fought violent clashes with armed elements in Badoush west of the city of Mosul. )
Sheikh Nagdat Soliman Mohammad, the imam and preacher of al-Saleheen mosque was shot dead in Wahed Azar, central Kirkuk on Sunday night.
Qadisiyyah Governorate
See lead story.
[...] the prominent Kurdish leader arrested in Sinjar following the escape of a kidnapped soldier that we reported yesterday continues. Today there are reports that phones to the area have been cut and that he has been [...]