Monday: 2 GIs, 149 Iraqis Killed; 320 Wounded

Updated at 2:00 a.m. EDT, June 19, 2007

At least 149 Iraqis were killed or found dead and 320 were wounded during the latest attacks. Scores were killed or wounded during two major battles between militia and security forces in southern Iraq. Meanwhile, Sunni families are being forced to flee Baghdad under threat of death. Also, two American servicemembers were killed in separate attacks.

An MND-B soldier was killed when his patrol encountered an IED in southern Baghdad yesterday. The DOD reported that a soldier died in Tallil on Thursday during an explosion.

In Baghdad, panic is setting in as a deadline set by militants draws near. Sunni families in Shi’ite neighborhoods have been ordered to leave by today or face death. According to a spokesman for the Iraqi Aid Association, dozens have already been killed in their homes. Others are killed or kidnapped as they flee town, and conditions at displacement camps on the outskirts of Baghdad are no better. Meanwhile, Sunni militants have also gone on killing sprees, but no definite number of casualties has been released.

In specific developments in the capital, two bombs at a Saidiya area petrol station killed nine and wounded 25 more. A family of five were killed yesterday as they tried to evacuate from the Shu’ala neighborhood. A Chaldean Catholic priest, who was kidnapped on June 6, was released unharmed by his captors. A national police brigadier was killed along with a bodyguard when his Saidiya home was attacked. An employee of the Shi'ite endowment organization was killed in Waziriya. Also in Waziriya, gunmen attacked a car, killing one occupant and injuring two others.

One civilian was killed and two more were wounded when a mortar round landed in Abu Ghraib. A mortar in Za'afarniyah killed one person and wounded five others. In Saidiya, a weapons cache containing a unknown number of bodies was discovered at an elementary school. U.S. troops found two dozen emaciated boys at a government run orphanage. Also, 33 dumped bodies were found scattered in Baghdad.

Iraqi and British forces, conducting house-to-house searches in Maysan province, were attacked by Shi’ite militiamen; 36 Iraqis were killed and more than 100 were wounded during the clash. Women and children were among the casualties.

In Nasariya, clashes between Mahdi army troops and policemen left 23 dead and 110 wounded. Also, a special forces police colonel was injured during an assassination attempt yesterday.

Eight policemen were killed near Mishahda when gunmen attacked a police convoy.

A truck bomb in Falluja killed two people and wounded 10 more. Three people were killed and 15 wounded during a bombing at a popular market. Falluja is now under a curfew.

The bodies of three brothers who were shot to death were found in Mosul.

The manager of the Diyala electrical station was shot to death in his Baquba office. Nine civilians, including children, were wounded in a car bombing. Also, three gunmen were killed during security operations.

In Samarra, a car bomb killed five and wounded six members of the Interior Ministry's police squad.

Gunmen killed two Iraqi soldiers at a checkpoint near Balad.

An IED in Tarmiyah killed two Iraqi soldiers and wounded three more.

Three rockets slammed Kirkuk, but caused no injuries. An IED outside of town injured two civilians. Yesterday, an IED injured one civilian. Also, gunmen attacked a police foot patrol yesterday, killing one policeman and two others.

In Khanaquin, five policemen were wounded in an attack on a checkpoint.

Five Kurdish soldiers were killed and 15 more were wounded during an attack in Tuz Khormato.

Compiled by Margaret Griffis