Security Summary: August 5, 2007

Above: A family grieves for a loved one killed in a mortar attack today in Baghdad.

BAGHDAD - The bodies of 18 people, including two women, were found dumped across Baghdad in the past 24 hours, police said. Most of the bodies were found in Baghdad's predominantly Sunni Arab western Karkh side.

BAGHDAD - A barrage of mortar rounds at a petrol station killed 11 people lining up to fill their vehicles and wounded 15 others in eastern Baghdad, police said. Six people were wounded by mortar rounds at another petrol station in a nearby district.

BAGHDAD - Two U.S. soldiers were killed in combat in Baghdad on Sunday, the U.S. military said.

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

BAGHDAD - One U.S. soldier was killed and two others wounded in combat in western Baghdad on Saturday, the U.S. military said.

BAGHDAD - Gunmen killed a mosque imam and wounded his two sons in a drive-by shooting in the Sunni Arab Khadhra district of western Baghdad, an army source said.

BAGHDAD - Three police commandos were wounded when gunmen attacked their patrol in the Saidiya area of southern Baghdad, police said.

MAHMUDIYA - A suicide car bomb targeting a vehicle workshop killed two people and wounded five others at the entrance to the town of Mahmudiya, 30 km (20 miles) south of Baghdad, police said. Four cars and three shops were destroyed.

BAGHDAD - Hazim al-Araji, a leader of the Sadrist movement, escaped an assassination attempt when gunmen in army uniforms attacked him as he left a Sadr office in the northwestern Kadhimiya district of Baghdad, a Sadr official said.

SAMARRA - Iraqi and U.S. forces have detained more than 80 suspected insurgents in Samarra since Iraqi-led operations began in the city on Tuesday, the U.S. military said.

QAIM - Iraqi soldiers and U.S. special forces detained three suspected members of an al Qaeda cell during raids on Friday. The cell was believed responsible for aiding Iraqi insurgents and foreign fighters near the town of Qaim, 500 km (310 miles) west of Baghdad, the U.S. military said.

SUWAYRA - A tribal leader died from wounds sustained on Saturday after he was attacked by gunmen in the town of Suwayra, 40 km (25 miles) south of Baghdad, police said.

KUT - Iraqi police and soldiers arrested four members of the Mehdi Army militia loyal to the Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr during a raid in the centre of Kut, 170 km (105 miles) south of Baghdad, police said.

BASRA - British forces killed an insurgent overnight when their convoy was hit by small arms fire on the way from Kuwait to Basra, 550 km (340 miles) south of Baghdad, the British military said.

SAMARRA - Iraqi and U.S. security forces detained two people during raids on Friday. Those detained are believed to be responsible for roadside bomb attacks in Samarra, 100 km (60 miles) north of Baghdad. One of them is believed to be the al Qaeda leader in Samarra, the U.S. military said.

MOSUL - Police ended a riot that involved about 65 prisoners at Badoush prison near the northern city of Mosul on Friday. No prisoners escaped but one prisoner was killed while attempting to escape, the U.S. military said. Two more prisoners were wounded.

ISKANDARIYA - Eleven people were wounded by a mortar attack on Saturday in the town of Iskandariya, 40 km (25 miles) south of Baghdad, police said.

MAHAWEEL - The bodies of three people were found shot and tortured on Saturday in the town of Mahaweel, 75 km (50 miles) south of Baghdad, police said.

From Reuters/Alternet