Deadly Saturday: 81 Iraqis, 21 GIs Killed; 33 Iraqis, 3 GIs Wounded

Updated at 12:35 p.m. EST, Jan. 21, 2007

Saturday was the deadliest day for U.S. forces in almost two years. American military authorities reported that an American helicopter crashed, killing 12 American soldiers near Baquba. The U.S. military also announced that nine other American soldiers were killed in five separate incidents; three soldiers were wounded as well. And, 81 Iraqis were killed or found dead today and another 33 were wounded in various incidents throughout Iraq.

A Blackhawk transport helicopter crashed in northern Iraq today, killing all 12 aboard; a website linked to the Baath party claimed that an Islamic group shot down the helicopter. Another soldier died in northern Iraq from wounds sustained in a roadside bomb attack. Militia fighters attacked the Provincial Joint Coordination Center in the holy city of Karbala; five GIs were killed. A roadside bomb blast killed one soldier and wounded a second GI today in northern Baghdad. Also, a U.S. army officer was injured in bomb blast in Mosul.

Two of the reported dead were killed on Friday: One GI was killed and two more injured in Ninewah province when a roadside bomb blasted them. Also, a Marine died from wounds sustained during enemy combat in Anbar Province.

No casualties were reported when a U.S. vehicle was damaged by a bomb in Deloiyah. Mortars were reported falling on bases in Baghdad and Haditha, but the reports are unconfirmed by U.S. officials. In Baghdad, Iraqi troops backed by U.S. helicopters killed 15 suspected members of the Omar Brigade.

A bomb blast damaged a British vehicle in Basra, but no casualties were reported.

In Baghdad, police said that mortar rounds killed four people and wounded six others when they fell on the Suleigh neighborhood; unconfirmed reports place the casualty toll higher. One person was killed and nine wounded during a mortar attack in nearby Raghiba Khatoun. In the Yarmouk district, gunmen shot dead an employee for the telephone company; two others traveling in the same car were injured. Police Major Salim Sattar was assassinated in the Shaab neighborhood, and an employee of Iraqiya TV was killed in the Jihad district. Also, 29 dumped bodies were found scattered around the capital.

Three police officers were killed and two were injured when gunmen attacked a checkpoint south of Baghdad.

In Mosul, a bomb blast near Iraq army Colonel Nizar Al-Atroshi’s office killed him; an American officer, an Iraqi translator and an Iraqi contractor were also injured in the blast. An engineer was killed in a separate incident; he worked for state-owned Ninewa TV. Five bodies were turned in to the morgue.

Gunmen stormed a home in Madaen where they killed three people, including two women. Also, two bodies were found.

Gunmen killed a judge and his 20-year-old brother in Khalis.

Five policemen were wounded and two more killed by an explosive device in Kirkuk.

A body was found in Iskandariya; the victim had been shot in the head. One person was also gunned down in a separate incident. Also, two people were killed and four wounded at a fake security checkpoint.

A roadside bomb in Daquq wounded two civilians.

The hospital in Baquba reported that they had received six unidentified bodies.

Compiled by Margaret Griffis