Thursday: 3 GIs, 78 Iraqis Killed; 36 Iraqis Wounded, 12 Kidnapped

Updated at 12:35 a.m. EDT, May 18, 2007

At least 78 Iraqis were killed or found dead today and 36 more were wounded. Another 12 people were abducted as well. Also, three U.S. soldiers were killed today when a roadside bomb blasted them south of Baghdad.

In Baghdad, a mortar or rocket fell in the Green Zone, causing an explosion but no injuries. A separate mortar hit a factory in Sadr City, killing one person and wounding four others. A roadside bomb hit Abu Dsheer but caused no casualties. One person in Al Shurta Al Rabi'aa was killed due to mortar fire. Another person died of mortar shelling in Nahrawan. Eight people were injured when mortars struck al Qahira. In Jamila, three people were killed during shelling there. Gunmen in Bab al-Sham killed two policemen and wounded a third one.

During security operations in the capital, the Iraqi army killed six suspects and wounded three civilians. Also, hundreds of Iraqis demonstrated in the Shaab neighborhood, protesting tactics used by U.S. forces in their security crackdown. Also, at least 30 bodies were recovered from various neighborhoods.

Two people were killed and five wounded during a bombing attack on the Diyala Bridge in Mahmudiya; it is the second time this week the bridge was targeted.

A bomb near a policeman’s Hilla home killed him and wounded three of his children.

In continued clashing in Diwaniya, four people were killed and four others wounded. Gunmen killed a civil servant in a drive-by shooting.

A roadside bomb killed one person and wounded three others in Iskandariya.

Three dumped bodies were found south of the capital.

A mortar round left with tin cans killed a man in Najaf.

Two bodies were found in Latifiya.

In Basra, gunmen killed a police major and two sons and wounded a neighbor.

A bullet-riddled body was found in Kirkuk. Eight people were killed during a roadside bombing outside of town.

A day after multiple bombings and clashing, police in Mosul arrested 300 gunmen.

In Taji, mortar rounds destroyed a U.S. helicopter and damaged at least nine more.

A hand grenade accidentally killed a police officer and wounded a second one in Balad Ruz.

In Baquba, three bullet-riddled bodies were brough in to the morgue. Gunmen killed a worker from the "health establishment protection unit."

A police officer was shot dead in Biji. Also a roadside bomb injured three guards working with a Shirqat police commander.

Twelve people were abducted from a minibus in Diyala province.

A police major was killed when gunmen attacked his Amara home.

Also, 14 Iraqis were arrested trying to illegally cross the Turkish border on their way to Europe. Meanwhile, Turkey increased the number of troops stationed at the border with Iraq in order to prevent illegal crossings by Kurdish rebels.

Compiled by Margaret Griffis