Thursday: 6 GIs, 4 Britons, 83 Iraqis Killed; U.S. Helicopter Shot Down

Updated at 11:57 p.m EDT, Apr. 5, 2007

Coalition soldiers took heavy casualties today: Six U.S. and four British soldiers, plus a Kuwaiti translator, lost their lives in separate incidents. A U.S. helicopter was downed as well. Also, at least 83 Iraqis were killed or found dead today and another 55 Iraqis were wounded in various attacks.

The U.S. military reported today on the deaths of six U.S. servicemembers: In Diyala, a roadside bomb killed one soldier and injured two more today. A roadside bomb killed two soldiers yesterday, north of Baghdad. Another soldier died in a small arms attack in eastern Baghdad. Two more U.S. soldiers also died yesterday when a roadside bomb in a southern neighborhood blasted them. A U.S. helicopter crashed today near Latifiya, injuring four; witnesses say that it was brought down by enemy fire.

Meanwhile, a roadside bomb in Basra killed four British soldiers, their Kuwaiti translator, and wounded a fifth Briton. These deaths came on the heels of the release of 15 Royal Navy personnel who were captured nearly two weeks ago by Iran.

In Baghdad, 11 dumped bodies were found. Another body was reported found in Baghdad yesterday. A car bomb blasted a Sunni Muslim TV station, killing the assistant director and wounding 12 others. The body of a female TV reporter kidnapped recently was recovered, while another reporter was abducted. A foiled kidnapping attempt on a Mustansiriya University student resulted in the death of one guard and injuries to four others. One person was killed and another injured during gunfire in the Saidiya neighborhood. A sniper killed two civilians, including one child, in the al-Mel area.

Also, in the capital, two roadside bombs targeting a U.S. patrol killed two Iraqis and wounded two more instead. Separate roadside bombs killed one and wounded two in Hay al-Banuk, wounded a policeman in Doura, wounded another person near Talbiyah bridge, and injured two more policemen near al-Rasheed camp. One policeman was killed and two more, including a lieutenant colonel, were injured during a roadside bomb attack on a highway linking Amiriya and Hay al-Adl. Mortars killed two and injured five in al-Ma'alif, and injured one person in Sadr City. An hour later, mortars falling on the Shaab area killed two and injured five more.

In Diyala, the morgue received the bodies of 20 kidnap victims who had been killed overnight. Two new people were kidnapped in Hibhib.

Gunmen attacked an army post near a Mosul jail where they killed ten Iraqi soldiers and wounding one.

Five bodies were found in Baquba.

On a road between Wasit and Diyala, the bodies of two women were discovered.

In Diwaniya, gunmen killed two contractors working for the Iraqi army, and in a separate incident kidnapped the chief of police. Four gunmen were killed during a security operation.

A former senior army official from the Saddam era was gunned down in Fallujah.

In Kirkuk, a roadside bomb wounded three Iraqi soldiers, while gunmen shot dead a fourth one. No casualties were reported from a bombing in front of an teaching institute.

One person was killed and another injured by small arms fire near a Muqdadiyah internet cafe.

A Katyusha rocket fell near a school where it injured four people.

In Mandili, gunmen killed a police major and wounded two companions.

The disembodied heads of two women were found in Qazaniya.

In Khalis, two vehicles carrying six occupants exploded and killed them. The ID of one of the occupants identified him as the brother of a wanted man who now lives in Syria.

No casualties were reported at a bus station bombing in Baquba. But, a car bomb wounded five people.

Two people drove a car bomb towards an Iraqi army checkpoint. When one of them got out to remove concertina wire in his path, he was shot; the other person then blew up the car. No one was killed except the two bombers.

A civilian was injured when he set off a landmine in al-Bahr village.

U.S. forces captured 17 suspects. Two suspects were detained in connection with last week’s Tal Afar bombing. Combined U.S, and Iraqi troops carried out operations in the Adhamiya. Also, Algeria is holding 120 al-Qaeda suspects who may have fought or intend to fight in Iraq.

An oil pipeline was damaged by an explosion in the Basra area.

Compiled by Margaret Griffis