Saturday: 1 US Soldier, 23 Iraqis Killed; 39 Iraqis Wounded

Updated at 10:35 p.m. EST, Jan. 5, 2008

U.S. officials today confirmed that an Iraqi soldier shot two American soldiers to death the day after Christmas. Another American soldier was killed today in an IED explosion. Meanwhile, at least 23 Iraqis were killed and 39 more were wounded in the latest violence. Also, Iraqi newspapers have ceased publication over the weekend to observe Iraqi Army Day, so reports may be scant until Monday.

An Iraqi soldier shot and killed two American soldiers on Dec. 26 in Mosul. Their deaths had already been reported, but the details had not been released until today. The troops had been on a joint patrol when, for unknown reasons, the Iraqi soldier fired upon the Americans. Three American soldiers and an Iraqi interpreter were wounded as well. The shooter fled, but was later captured along with another soldier. It is believed that the Iraqi had ties to a Sunni militant group that has yet to join forces with Coalition troops as other militant groups have already done.

One U.S. soldier was killed today after an IED blasted his vehicle in Diyala province.

In Baghdad, 12 dumped bodies were found in separate neighborhoods. In Adhamiya, three rubbish collectors and a girl were wounded during a mortar attack. Also, a roadside bomb blasted a minibus on the Al-Salam Bridge in southern Baghdad; seven people were wounded.

An IED at a market in Jalawla injured 18 civilians, two critically.

Six people were killed and four were wounded near Saidiya when a roadside bomb blasted a minibus. Women and children were among the casualties.

A roadside bomb in Baquba killed one person and wounded three others in the Othmaniya neighborhood. Two Sahwa council members were wounded by a second blast.

In Samarra, one gunmen was killed and nine more were captured during security operations.

Kirkuk police raided a house where they found a girl who had been held hostage for almost a month. The kidnappers were arrested.

A Fallujah tribal chief was killed in a drive-by shooting.

A body belonging to a young man from Arbil was found in Sargaran.

Police in Rutba sealed off the city after reports of a car bomb.

A transmission tower between Baiji and Baghdad was bombed, causing loss of electricity to the area.

Five new support councils were formed in Diyala province to combat al-Qaeda and other armed groups. Gunmen killed a truck driver in a northeastern section of the province.

No casualties were reported after the American consulate in Basra was shelled.

Also, Missan province prepared a new security plan to protect pilgrims during the upcoming Ashuraa religious observances. In Karbala, security raids have already produced a cache of arms that could have been meant for the Shi’ite pilgrims who will be entering the city during the holiday.

Compiled by Margaret Griffis