Security Summary: July 26, 2007

Above: An Iraqi soldier stands guard today in Najaf where thousands of visitors are expected to mark the birthday of Imam Hussein.

BAGHDAD - Twenty-five people were killed and 115 wounded when a parked car bomb exploded at an intersection near shops in the Karrada district of central Baghdad, police said.

BAGHDAD - The bodies of 20 people were found in different areas of Baghdad in the past 24 hours, police said.

KIRKUK - A parked car bomb near a kebab restaurant killed seven people and wounded 45 in Kirkuk, 250 km (155 miles) north of Baghdad, police said.

DIYALA - Three U.S. Marines and a sailor were killed in combat in Diyala province north of Baghdad on Tuesday, the U.S. military said.

BAGHDAD - One U.S. soldier was killed by a roadside bomb in Baghdad on Tuesday, the U.S. military said.

BAGHDAD - One U.S. soldier was killed by small arms fire in southern Baghdad on Wednesday, the U.S. military said.

BAGHDAD - Gunmen killed an official of the housing and construction ministry in Karrada, police said.

MOSUL - A mortar round landed on a bus station in Tal Abta, 70 km southwest of the northern city of Mosul, killing one person and wounding seven, police said.

YARUBIYA - Gunmen attacked a police checkpoint at Yarubiya on Iraq's northwestern border with Syria, killing three, police said.

HILLA - A roadside bomb killed five Iraqi police and wounded two others when it exploded near a joint U.S.-Iraqi patrol between Hilla and Diwaniya south of Baghdad, police said.

FALLUJA - A roadside bomb killed one person and wounded 11 others when it hit a bus in central Falluja 50 km (32 miles) west of Baghdad, police said.

MOSUL - Mortar bombs killed one soccer fan and wounded nine others who were celebrating Iraq's semi-final win in the Asian Cup. The attack took place in central Mosul 390 km (240 miles) north of Baghdad on Wednesday, police said. On Thursday, gunmen mined the city's main soccer stadium, destroying about half of the 10,000-seat structure, they said.

BAGHDAD - Police said 18 bodies were found in different districts of Baghdad on Wednesday.

BAGHDAD - A bomb killed three people and wounded two others in the al-Shaab district of northern Baghdad on Wednesday, police said.

TIKRIT - Five Iraqi security forces members and two insurgents were killed and many weapons caches seized during a raid in eastern Tikrit, 175 km (110 miles) north of Baghdad, police said.

LATIFIYA - Police found two bodies blindfolded, handcuffed and riddled with bullets in Latifiya 40 km (25 miles) south of Baghdad, police said.

From Reuters/Alternet