Wednesday: 134 Iraqis, 7 GIs, 2 Coalition Soldiers Killed

Updated at 2:05 a.m EST, Dec. 28, 2006

The U.S. military reported the deaths of seven GIs today. Also, two Latvian soldiers were killed and three were injured in a roadside bomb attack, and seven Britons were injured in a separate bombing. Meanwhile, 134 Iraqis were killed and 38 were wounded in violent attacks.

U.S. military authorities reported that a roadside bomb killed an American soldier in an Eastern part of Baghdad; two other soldiers were injured in the explosion. Two more soldiers were killed by a separate roadside bomb, and a third soldier was injured southwest of the capital. A Marine was killed today when he became the target of small arms fire in Anbar province. Also, a second American soldier died due to injuries sustained during a reconnaissance mission south of the capital yesterday; the soldier's vehicle rolled over in a dirt canal. The death of another soldier who was also involved in the accident was reported yesterday. The Dept. of Defense also announced that a soldier died on Monday, succumbing to wounds received from a roadside bomb on Dec. 14. So far, 98 American servicemembers have been killed in December.

Seven British soldiers were wounded when a bomb blasted their vehicle near Basra. Also, mortars and grenades fell on British installations in Basra, but no casualties were reported. A separate roadside bomb killed two Latvian soldiers and wounded three more in an unspecified location in Iraq.

U.S. forces raided a home in Najaf belonging to Sheikh Sahib Al-Ameri, a senior Sadrist official accused of launching a bomb attack. A U.S. soldier shot the official dead after seeing him point a rifle at an Iraqi soldier. Tensions rose in Najaf following the incident. Meanwhile, Baath party members threatened to retalitate if Saddam Hussein is executed.

In Baghdad, 51 dumped bodies were recovered throughout the city. Iraqi army troops killed 32 militia members and arrested dozens more throughout the city. A car bomb killed 15 and wounded 20 others in eastern Baghdad. In the Camp Sara neighborhood, a roadside bomb wounded five people, including three policemen. Mortar rounds fell on a Shi'ite neighborhood and killed four people. Two members of the Ministry of Higher Education were wounded on a bus during a drive-by shooting. And, clashes erupted in the Sadiya neighborhood after gunmen attacked police checkpoints, but no casualties were reported.

Three Iraqi army soldiers were killed in Suwayra by a roadside bomb.

Gunmen killed the mayor of Hussayniah and his driver.

Three people were killed and another three injured when an RBG 7 missile struck them in Khalis.

In Abu Saida, 18 militia members were killed when they attacked the Bait Jabriya neighborhood. Four villagers were killed and 13 injured when they took up arms to repel the attackers.

And last night, gunmen killed a policeman in Kut.

Compiled by Margaret Griffis