Saturday: 3 GIs, 96 Iraqis Killed; 105 Iraqis Wounded

Updated at 11:39 p.m. EDT, April 7, 2007

At least 96 Iraqis were killed or found dead during violent activity today, another 105 were wounded, and ten Iraqis were kidnapped south of Kirkuk. Several explosions around the country resulted only in property damage. Also, three more U.S. servicemembers have been reported killed in Iraq.

The military reported that a U.S. soldier was killed by a roadside bomb in west Baghdad yesterday, and a sailor was killed during combat operations in Anbar province. A GI also died in Balad on Wednesday from a roadside bomb explosion. Two British soldiers were wounded in a bomb blast west of Basra.

In Baghdad, a roadside bomb killed one policeman and wounded two more on Palestine Street. Another bomb injured two civilians in Bayaa. A third bomb injured three in the Mansour neighborhood. A fourth bomb killed one person and injured five in Hamza square. Clashes erupted in the Fadhel neighborhood where a guard was killed and two civilians were also injured. A suicide bomber attacked a checkpoint in Sadr City, killing one Iraqi soldier and wounded five others. A sniper killed a woman in western Baghdad. Also, two unidentified bodies were recovered from the Jisr Diala neighborhood, and 12 more were found around the city.

Mortars fell in several Baghdad neighborhoods. Shelling in Zaafaraniyah injured two civilians. No one was injured when a mortar struck al-Dhamiya. In Bayaa, shelling injured three people. Two people were injured by mortars in Amil.

During security operations in the capital, Iraqi forces killed a gunman and arrested 82 suspects; three of the security troops were killed and 14 more injured. Five people were freed as well. The Iraqi army reported killing an al-Qaeda leader in the Ghazaliya neighborhood.

In Baquba, nine bodies bearing gunshot wounds and torture marks were recovered from the city streets; another 18 corpses were spotted in a river running through town. Several shopowners were chased away by gunmen right before their shops were set ablaze. Two civilians were injured when gunmen opened fire on the governate building. Mortars also rained on the city.

Fifteen were killed and 32 injured during today's fighting in Diwaniya.

U.S. war planes struck two villages near Khalis, after clashes erupted following the deaths of three policemen from al-Nay. Eight more people were killed and 14 wounded in the subsequent battle.

The bodies of six shepherds were discovered near Karbala; they were part of a group of 22 who were kidnapped earlier in the week.

A U.S. humvee was destroyed in a bombing in Kubeisa. Witnesses reported wounded, but the U.S. military has not confirmed the incident.

A suicide bomber struck police checkpoint in Samarra, killing five policemen and wounding three others.

Ten people were kidnapped from a minibus south of Kirkuk near Himreem.

Gunmen attacking an Iraqi army base near Suwayra killed one Iraqi soldier and wounded six others.

Two gunshot-riddled bodies were fished out of a small river at Numaniya.

In Hilla, a body was found near a police station. A bomb on a farm injured four members of one family.

Several car bombs were detonated in Mosul, but no casualties were reported.

In Basra, a child was killed when he stepped on a landmine, while another child was rescued from kidnappers.

Several stores were destroyed in Kut when a bomb exploded, but no casualty figures were released.

Four gunmen were arrested in Muqdadiyah.

Mortars were fired at security forces in Hibhib.

No casualties were reported in Kirkuk when an explosion destroyed property.

Fruit orchards were burned in Ubliat.

A judge was killed last night in Qara Taba village.

A roadside bomb on the Baghdad-Kirkuk highway caused no casualties.

A house in Domiz was damaged when a grenade was thrown at it.

In Tikrit, gunmen injured four policemen at the traffic police headquarters.

An engineer and two technicians were found dead near Suleiman Bek.

Compiled by Margaret Griffis