Updated at 1:05 a.m. EST, Jan. 12, 2007
In today’s developments, U.S. President George Bush’s latest speech
is the subject of much international debate. Closer to home, at least 60
Iraqis were killed or found dead today and another 33 wounded. Also, military
authorities reported today that U.S. troops killed 85 suspected militants
during operations over the last several days in the Turki village area. An Australian
soldier was slightly wounded in southern Iraq, and an Iranian consulate
was raided
in Irbil.
In his speech last night, President Bush announced
that he would be sending about 21,500 more American troops to Iraq, despite
opposition from Democratic lawmakers and the American public. Meanwhile, The
Daily Telegraph in Britain reported
that British Prime Minister Tony Blair will soon reveal his plans to bring thousands
of British troops home.
An Iranian consulate in Irbil was the subject of a controversial
raid conducted by U.S. forces. No
casualties were reported; however, several Iranians were taken into custody,
and items were removed from the premises.
Multi-National Corps authorities announced that 85
suspected militants were killed during the past week during raids in the
Turki villlage area. Eight
more suspects were killed and several arrested during other U.S. raids,
these in the capital. Also, U.S. air strikes were conducted in Sadr City, but
no
casualties were reported.
In southern Iraq, an Australian
soldier was bruised when he drove into a tank ditch.
In Baghdad, 37
dumped bodies were found throughout the city; five
off-duty policemen were killed. Also, a
man was shot dead and two others wounded when gunmen stormed a storefront
in central Baghdad.
A truck bomb in Samarra killed
three people and wounded 31 others; among the dead was Asaad Yassin, president
of the municipal council.
In Mosul, a university
professor, Dr. Kamel Abdul-Hussein, was gunned down on his way home from
work, and a 10-year-old
was killed in a mortar attack.
Four Oil
Ministry officials were kidnapped in Nahwaran
In Muqdadiyah, 20
people were reportedly kidnapped. No official statement has been released.
Three car bombs went off, targeting member of the Anbar Salvation Council;
the number
of casualties was not reported.
Four
gunmen, two of the them foreign, were killed during clashes with Iraqi police
in Tal Afar.
A transportation director, Hazim
Zainal, was gunned down at his workplace near the Syrian border.
A 13-year-old boy carried an explosive device that killed
an Iraqi soldier in Anbar province.
In Khalidiyah, an Iraqi army outpost came under attack but no
casualties were reported.
And a pipeline was set on fire in an apparent act of sabotage in northern
Iraq; no
casualties were reported.
Compiled by Margaret Griffis