Thursday: 2 GIs, 72 Iraqis Killed; 59 Iraqis Wounded

Updated at 11:58 p.m. EDT, Aug. 23, 2007

At least 73 Iraqis were killed and 59 were injured during the latest attacks, which include a major battle between Iraqi militants near Baquba. Also, a IED killed an American soldier in Baghdad on Tuesday. A second GI was also killed on Tuesday by an IED in a separate incident outside the capital.

At least 35 people were killed and 20 injured during a large battle between Sunni and al-Qaeda militants in villages near Baquba. Also, 15 women and children were kidnapped. Most of the dead were residents.

In Baghdad, 12 dumped bodies were recovered. One person was killed and five wounded during a bombing in New Baghdad. In northern Baghdad, two people were killed and four wounded during a mortar attack. No casualties were reported during mortar fire aimed at the Green Zone. A roadside bomb in the Diyala Bridge area targeted U.S. troops but killed one child and wounded another youngster instead. Last night, gunmen killed a driver al-Sabah newspaper in the Ur neighborhood. And Tuesday night, two children were wounded during a roadside bombing in Jurf al Naddaf.

A Sunni Iraqi Islamic Party member and his chauffeur were killed in Mosul during a drive-by shooting. A car bomb killed three and injured 12 in the al-Farouq neighborhood; two corpses were used as a lure to the vehicle. Also, two bodies were found.

In Kut, two people were killed and six wounded during mortar fire.

Iraqi security forces arrested 150 suspects in Mandali. U.S. forces killed one suspect and arrested 10 others in several locations. British forces killed two gunmen when they returned fire in Basra. Joint Iraq-U.S. forces arrested 40 suspects in Baquba.

In Salman Bek, a family returning from the funeral of a child who was killed in a roadside bombing were blasted by a second IED, but no casualties were reported.

A suicide bomber who was killed by Fallujah police still managed to wounded two people.

A body was found in al-Ajaj.

In Muqdadiyah, a civilian was killed and two women were injured by gunmen.

Gunmen killed a policeman and wounded another in Balad Ruz yesterday.

A police commissioner was shot and killed Kanaan.

In Latifiya, gunmen wounded two Iraqi soldiers yesterday.

Mortars wounded two people in Hilla.

Yesterday, a dumped body was recovered in Basra.

Compiled by Margaret Griffis