Thursday: 20 Iraqis Killed, 39 Wounded

Updated at 9:29 p.m. EDT, July 24, 2008

A female suicide bomber ended this week's relative peace when she attacked an Awakening Council patrol in Baquba today. Overall, at least 20 Iraqis were killed and 39 more were wounded in the latest attacks. No Coalition deaths were reported, but U.S. forces came under fire in Kirkuk and killed a teenager in retaliatory gunfire. Meanwhile, Turkey targeted PKK locations in northern Iraq, but the number of casualties there is unknown.

U.S. forces in Kirkuk came under a small arms attack. They returned fire killing a teenager sitting in a sedan. One U.S. soldier was wounded. Three suspects were captured in a separate incident.

A female suicide bomber attacked a group of Awakening Council (Sahwa) members in Baquba. Eight of them were killed, while as many as 30 people were wounded. A Sahwa leader was among the dead.

In Baghdad, two attacks in the Adhamiya neighborhood left three Sahwa members dead and two more wounded; one gunman was injured as he made his escape. In Zaafaraniya, a bomb wounded a senior Shi'ite leader and three of his bodyguards. One dumped body was discovered. Also, U.S. forces captured 20 suspects across the city, while the Iraqi army detained at least 45 more.

In Mosul, three bodies were found. A suicide bomber killed one Iraqi soldier and wounded two more at a checkpoint in al-Intisar.

Two bodies were found in Yusufiya.

At least 18 more suspects were detained in Hilla during an ongoing security operation in Babel province. A number of weapons was confiscated as well.

A kidnapping victim was freed in Missan province. One of her captors was captured.

In Basra, katyusha rockets landed on the British base at the airport. No casualties were reported but British warplanes returned the fire.

A bomb was defused in Gardhiya shortly before a high-level government official was to drive through the area. A resident tipped off security forces.

In Numaniya, two suspects were captured.

Turkey reported striking at 13 targets within Iraq belonging to Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) rebels. Although they did not know how many rebels casualties occurred, the military claimed that no civilians were harmed. The PKK wants to create an autonomous Kurdish homeland across parts of Turkey, Iraq and three other nations.

Compiled by Margaret Griffis