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Last week in Iraq

By TIMES WIRES
Published November 19, 2006

Attacks

-The bodies of at least 75 victims of sectarian killings were found in parts of Baghdad and Baqubah in the 24 hours ending Nov. 12, authorities said. At least 65 other people were killed in bombings, drive-by shootings and other attacks Nov. 12, including 38 who died in twin suicide bombings at a police recruitment center in Baghdad, authorities said.

-Sectarian attacks killed at least 90 people throughout Iraq on Monday, and 46 of them showed signs of torture, authorities said.

-Suspected Shiite militiamen dressed as Interior Ministry commandos stormed a Higher Education Ministry office Tuesday and kidnapped dozens of people.

-At least 117 people died Tuesday in the violence gripping the country.

-Iraqi police, hospital and morgue officials reported more than 100 new violent deaths Wednesday. Meanwhile, kidnappers released about 70 people within 24 hours of abducting them Tuesday. It was unclear how many people were still being held captive.

-A convoy of civilians was hijacked in southern Iraq Thursday and up to 14 people were abducted, the U.S. military said. Four Americans were believed to be among the captives, the Associated Press reported, citing an unnamed official.

- American and British military forces battled gunmen in southern Iraq on Friday while searching for four American security guards and their Austrian colleague who were abducted from a supply convoy on Thursday by men wearing Iraqi police uniforms, U.S. officials said.

-At least 52 Iraqi deaths were reported nationwide Friday.

Military

-The U.S. military reported Nov. 12 that three troops were killed in combat a day earlier in Anbar province.

-Gen. John Abizaid, commander of U.S. forces in the Middle East, warned Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki on Monday that he must disband Shiite militias, according to senior Iraqi government officials with knowledge of what the two men discussed in their meeting in Baghdad.

-U.S. forces raided the homes of anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr's followers in their northwest Baghdad neighborhood of Shula on Monday night, residents said. Police said five residents were killed, though a senior Sadr aide put the death toll at nine. The U.S. military said it had no comment.

-The U.S. military on Monday announced the deaths of four soldiers.

-One of four U.S. soldiers accused of raping a 14-year-old Iraqi girl last spring and killing her and her family pleaded guilty Wednesday and agreed to testify against the others, and was sentenced Thursday to 90 years in prison. Spc. James P. Barker agreed to the plea deal to avoid the death penalty, said his civilian attorney, David Sheldon.

-A Marine who pleaded guilty to reduced charges in the killing of an innocent Iraqi civilian was sentenced Wednesday to 18 months in custody. Pfc. John J. Jodka III, 20, was part of a squad of seven Marines and a Navy corpsman accused of kidnapping and killing Hashim Ibrahim Awad, 52, in Hamdania in April.

-The top U.S. commander in the Middle East warned Congress on Wednesday against setting a timetable for withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq, rejecting the arguments of resurgent Democrats who are pressing President Bush to start pulling out. Abizaid instead urged quick action to strengthen Iraq's government.

-Two U.S. Army soldiers were killed by small-arms fire during combat operations in Iraq, the military said Thursday.

-The Pentagon on Friday identified the five active-duty Army brigades that would rotate into Iraq early next year, a deployment that would enable the U.S. military to maintain the current troop level there through the first months of 2007.

-The U.S. military on Friday reported the death of a soldier who was killed Thursday in Diyala province, northeast of Baghdad.

Rebuilding

-Maliki scolded lawmakers at a closed Parliament session Nov. 12 for putting sectarian concerns over national interests and promised sweeping Cabinet changes, following complaints that his unity government has been ineffective at containing violence.

-Democratic leaders in the Senate vowed Nov. 12 to use their new congressional majority to press for troop reductions in Iraq within a matter of months.

-Bush traded ideas with the bipartisan commission examining strategic options for Iraq on Monday and promised to work with the incoming Democratic majority toward "common objectives." At the same time, he renewed his opposition to any timetable for withdrawing U.S. troops.

-The commission on Tuesday reached out to top Democrats from the Clinton administration, beginning with former President Bill Clinton. The group also spoke Tuesday by video link with British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

-Turkey offered Thursday to provide military training for Iraqi security forces. The offer was made during a visit to Turkey by Maliki.

-Iraq's Shiite-led government issued an arrest warrant Thursday for the country's leading Sunni Arab cleric, Harith Dhari, accusing him of colluding with insurgents, a potentially explosive charge.

-A spokesman for Maliki tried to backtrack Friday on the reported arrest warrant for Dhari. The spokesman said Iraqi security forces had begun an investigation of Dhari, but judges had not yet issued an arrest warrant.

Deaths

As of Saturday, 2,863 U.S. troops have died in Iraq. Identifications as reported by the U.S. military and not previously published:

-Army Pfc. Daniel J. Allman II, 20, Canon, Ga.; explosion Monday; Baghdad.

-Marine Lance Cpl. Timothy W. Brown, 21, Sacramento, Calif.; Tuesday; Anbar province.

-Marine Sgt. Bryan K. Burgess, 35, Garden City, Mich.; Nov. 9; Anbar province.

-Army 1st Lt. Michael A. Cerrone, 24, Clarksville, Tenn.; explosion Nov. 12; Samarra.

-Army Staff Sgt. Richwell A. Doria, 25, San Diego; small-arms fire Nov. 7; Kirkuk.

-Army Col. Thomas H. Felts Sr., 45, Sandston, Va.; explosion Tuesday; Baghdad.

-Army Spc. Justin R. Garcia, 26, Elmhurst, N.Y.; explosion Tuesday; Baghdad.

-Marine Lance Cpl. Mario D. Gonzalez, 21, La Puente, Calif.; Tuesday; Anbar province.

-Army Sgt. 1st Class Schuyler B. Haynes, 40, New York; explosion Wednesday; Baqubah.

-Army Staff Sgt. William S. Jackson II, 29, Saginaw, Mich.; explosion Nov. 11; Ramadi.

-Army Sgt. Courtland A. Kennard, 22, Starkville, Miss.; explosion Nov. 9; Baghdad.

-Army Pfc. Jang H. Kim, 20, Placentia, Calif.; explosion Monday; Baghdad.

-Army Staff Sgt. Misael Martinez, 24, Chapel Hill, N.C.; explosion Nov. 11; Ramadi.

-Army Staff Sgt. Gregory W.G. McCoy, 26, Webberville, Mich.; explosion Nov. 9; Baghdad.

-Army Spc. Mitchel T. Mutz, 23, Falls City, Texas; explosion Wednesday; Baqubah.

-Army Sgt. 1st Class Tung M. Nguyen, 38, Tracy, Calif.; small-arms fire Tuesday; Baghdad.

-Army Sgt. Angel De Jesus Lucio Ramirez, 22, Pacoima, Calif.; explosion Nov. 11; Ramadi.

-Army Spc. Eric G. Palacios Rivera, 21, Atlantic City, N.J.; small-arms fire Tuesday; Ramadi.

-Army Sgt. 1st Class Rudy A. Salcido, 31, Ontario, Calif.; explosion Nov. 9; Baghdad.

-Army Capt. Rhett W. Schiller, 26, Wisconsin; small-arms fire Thursday; Balad Ruz.

-Marine Lance Cpl. Michael D. Scholl, 21, Lincoln, Neb.; Tuesday; Anbar province.

-Marine Lance Cpl. Kristopher C. Warren, 19, Resaca, Ga.; nonhostile incident Nov. 9; Anbar province.

[Last modified November 19, 2006, 02:02:21]