Wednesday: 6 GIs, 133 Iraqis Killed; 50 Iraqis Injured

Updated at 11:00 p.m. EST, Nov. 15, 2006

A day after a brazen mass kidnapping in Baghdad, a second mass kidnapping occurred south of the capital. In other events, 133 Iraqis were killed or found dead and another 50 were wounded in various incidents around the country. Also, six more American servicemembers were killed.

Although conflicting reports about yesterday’s mass kidnapping in Baghdad continue to be released, it appears that at least 70 people were freed by their captors. The number of people still missing is unknown. In another mass kidnapping, gunmen snatched 12 workers from a brick factory in Diwaniya today.

The U.S. Military announced that last night three Marines and one soldier were killed in Anbar Province. Two more soldiers were killed when a roadside bomb blasted their vehicle in northwest Baghdad. So far 40 Americans have died in Iraq during November. British forces announced that one UK soldier had been wounded in a gun battle in Basra; a civilian woman and a gunman were killed in the incident. Also, U.S. forces killed 11 militiamen in Anbar Province and three people in Ramadi.

Late Tuesday and into Wednesday, police recovered 62 bodies in Baghdad, mostly in western districts; many bore the usual gunshot and torture wounds. Also, in the capital, a car bomb exploded at a fueling station in central Baghdad; twelve were killed and 32 injured. Three were killed and 15 injured when a suicide car bomber targeted a funeral in the Dora district. In the northern Shaab district, three were wounded by a car bomb. In the Jamiaa area, gunmen attacked the convoy of Salama al-Khafagi, a former member of the governing Council; a bodyguard and a passerby were killed. And two Shi’ites were killed after militiamen set their home on fire.

In Mosul, the morgue received the bodies of four people who had been shot; two belonged to policemen. Fadia Mohammed Ali, a reporter at Al Masar newspaper, and her driver were gunned down as they were driving to her workplace. Gunmen also killed two construction workers and wounded three others. And an Iraqi soldier was gunned down outside his home.

Ten corpses were discovered in Latifiya. Police suspect they might belong to men kidnapped over the weekend.

In Baquba, journalist Luma al-Karkhi was gunned down on her way to work. Gunmen shot dead at least one other person. Mortar rounds fell near a police station, but there was no word on casualties. Six bodies were also recovered in the city.

Attackers stormed the home of a top provincial official in Diyala. He was not home, but his brother and cousin were killed in the attack.

The bound body of woman was recovered from the Tigris River at Samarra. She had been shot in the head. Another body was also found.

A traffic police officer was gunned down in Kirkuk.

And in Kut, an unnamed former Baath Party member was shot dead outside his home. Also, nine bound and gunshot bodies were discovered.

Compiled by Margaret Griffis