Thursday: 1 US Soldier, 53 Iraqis Killed; 51 Iraqis Wounded

Updated at 12:02 a.m. EST, Dec. 21, 2007

A U.S. soldier is among the dead in a suicide bombing that killed over a dozen Iraqis in Diyala province. Another bomb in Baghdad injured almost 30 people as well as killing three others. Overall, at least 53 Iraqis were killed and another 51 were wounded throughout Iraq. Meanwhile, the killing of an Iraqi policeman in a knife fight with a Marine led to a protest in Ramadi.

A suicide bomber in Kanaan killed one U.S. soldier and 13 Iraqis, who were part of an Awakening Council. Another ten U.S. soldiers and 18 Iraqis were wounded at a building that houses the headquarters of this U.S.-linked patrol group.

In Baghdad, a car bomb left outside a liquor store on Saadoun Street killed three people and wounded 27 others. A dumped body was found in Shaab, and another was discovered in Saidiya.

A roadside bomb targeting a joint police and army patrol in Baquba killed one Iraqi soldier and wounded a second. Gunmen killed a civilian in a separate incident. Late Thursday, a homemade bomb and small arms fire left a policeman, an Iraqi soldier and two Awakening Council members dead.

Three children were injured during a roadside bombing meant for a U.S. patrol working in Fallujah.

A motorcycle ban was imposed in Wassit province during the Eid al-Adha holiday.

In Basra, two female hostages were released in separate incidents. Their kidnappers were arrested. The city is suffering from armed militias that are targeting women who are not dressing in accordance with Muslim traditions.

Government officials in Diwaniya ordered that concrete barriers and watchtowers be removed off some city streets to ease the traffic conditions.

In Hashimiyat, two gunmen were killed during a clash with Iraqi army troops.

Dozens of protestors demonstrated in Ramadi against the killing of an Iraqi policeman during a knife fight with a U.S. Marine.

Three gunmen were killed and two more wounded during security operations conducted by Iraqi forces; 27 suspects were detained. Twenty-two suspects were killed during separate operations conducted by U.S. troops and Iraqi policemen in Diyala province. U.S. soldiers captured three suspects they believe were using Iranian weapons. Combined U.S.-Iraqi forces detained 23 people in Iskandariya. A commissioner was arrested in connection with a prison escape. Meanwhile, another 100 detainees were released from Camp Cropper after it was determined that they pose no threat.

Because of the combined Eid al-Adha and Christmas holidays, newspapers in Iraq have ceased publication until next Wednesday. News from the country may be scant until then.

Compiled by Margaret Griffis