Security Summary: April 27, 2007

A man grieves as others try to comfort him following today's bombing in Karbala.

Kut- An explosive charge was detonated on Saturday afternoon near the house of a provincial council member in Kut, 180 km southeast of Baghdad, killing and wounding members of his family, a police source said.

Diala- Gunmen clad in military style uniform positioned a fake checkpoint on the main road near Muqdadiya district, Diala province, 57 km northeast of Baghdad, and forced seven civilians onboard two cars at gunpoint to unknown destination, eyewitnesses said.

Baghdad- At least two civilians were wounded on Saturday when a car bomb went off in the Shiite Shuala neighborhood, northwestern Baghdad, a police source said.

Baghdad- At least three people were wounded on Saturday when an explosive charge detonated in Nafaq al-Shurtah area, western Baghdad, a police source said.

Baghdad- At least two people were wounded on Saturday at noon when an explosive charge went off near al-Nidaa mosque in al-Qahirah neighborhood in northeastern Baghdad, a security source said.

Baiji- Unknown gunmen kidnapped the commander of Baiji refinery protection force after an assault in southwestern Baiji, 250 km north of Baghdad, a police source said.

Karbala– At least 55 people were killed and 158 more were wounded on Saturday in a car bomb blast in the holy Shiite city of Karbala, a medical source said.

Diala– Twelve bodies showing signs of having been shot were found by police patrols in several areas in the northern Baghdad city of Baaquba, the Iraqi police said on Saturday.

Dalouiya – A policeman was killed and two others wounded in an attack by gunmen in the village of al-Huwaija, Salah al-Din province, an Iraqi police source said.

Baghdad – Three people were killed and 10 others wounded when a mortar shell was fired on a residential area in al-Bayaa, southwestern Baghdad, an Iraqi police source said.

Falluja – A U.S. base in the district of al-Saqlawiya, northern Falluja, came under an attack with mortar shells but no casualties or injuries were reported, an eyewitness said.

Baghdad – A civilian was killed and three others wounded when an explosive charge went off in the popular souk of Bab al-Murad in Kadhemiya neighborhood, northern Baghdad, an Iraqi police source said.

Baghdad – Five civilians were killed and another wounded in an attack by gunmen on a civilian vehicle near a hospital in al-Bayaa neighborhood, southwestern Baghdad, an Iraqi police source said.

Kirkuk – An Iraqi army soldier was wounded when an explosive charge went off near the city of Kirkuk, a security official said.

Hit – A U.S. force was dropped into two neighborhoods in Hit, in the western Iraq province of al-Anbar, where they arrested three persons believed to be wanted by security authorities.

Baghdad – Iraq’s human rights minister Wijdan Salem urged Iraqi prisons authorities to release persons remanded in custody for a long time.

Kirkuk – Policemen managed to free a kidnapped female student and arrest the kidnappers in the city of Kirkuk, a security official said.

Baaquba – Three gunmen were killed and eight policemen were wounded in clashes in northern Baaquba, while an Iraqi army officer survived an assassination attempt near the city, an official security in the Iraqi police said.

Baghdad – One man was killed and eight others wounded when an explosive charge planted in an area where seasonal workers were gathering went off in al-Zaafaraniya area in southern Baghdad, Iraqi police said.

Diwaniya – One person was killed and two others injured in clashes between unidentified gunmen and a joint U.S.-Iraqi force in the area of al-Wihda in northern Diwaniya, a police source said.

From VOI