Thursday: 212 Iraqis, 4 Marines Killed; 123 Iraqis Wounded

Update at 12:30 a.m. EST, Feb. 9, 2007

At least 212 Iraqis were reported killed or found dead today in Iraq. Another 123 were wounded in various incidents. Also, four Marines were killed in two separate attacks in Anbar province yesterday. And, a day after seven American servicemembers were killed in a helicopter crash, U.S. officials added that a private security helicopter was forced down after it came under fire; no one was injured in the "hard landing" on Jan. 31st.

The much-awaited security crackdown was implemented in Baghdad yesterday. Today, U.S. troops reported killing 13 militia members in an air raid outside of Baghdad at Amiriyah and eight more at Arab Jabour. Local officials are insisting that U.S. air strikes killed 45 civilians, including women and children, and injured 20 more in Zaidan. During another raid, U.S. troops raided the health ministry building and arrested Hakim Zamili, the deputy health minister.

In Baghdad, 37 bodies were found scattered around town. A car bomb killed eight and wounded 12 in the al-Amin area. Gunmen attacked a checkpoint in central Baghdad; an army officer and a soldier were killed while another soldier and three policemen were injured. Also, a convoy belonging to a member of the Fadhila Shi'ite political party, Ammar Tu'uma, was attacked; one guard was injured in the incident which took place in the Mansour district.

In Rafiyaat, gunmen stormed two neighboring homes where they separated the men from the women and children. They dragged the men outside and machine-gunned 14 to death; a 15th man survived his wounds.

Gunmen attacked a police unit in Baquba, killing four policemen and a civilian. Five more civilians were killed while driving on a road outside of town. And, police said they killed three snipers.

At a market in Aziziya, a car bomb killed 20 and injured 45 others.

Sixteen bodies were discovered in Mosul. Among them were five police officers. Two civilians were shot dead in separate incidents.

In Garma, three bodies bearing gunshot wounds to the head were discovered.

A booby-trapped car was successfully disarmed in Kirkuk; no casualties were reported. Seven people were abducted from a minibus.

In Suwayra, three successive roadside bombs killed seven and wounded 23 late yesterday.

A worshipper was killed and four others wounded yesterday at a mosque in Fallujah.

Mortars killed seven people and wounded ten in Iskandariya.

In Haditha, seven policemen were killed and three wounded when a suicide bomber attacked their checkpoint.

A former army officer was gunned down in Muqdadiya.

Eight unidentified bodies were turned in to the morgue in Khalis; five were beheaded.

Compiled by Margaret Griffis