Friday: 6 GIs, 71 Iraqis Killed; 89 Iraqis Wounded

Updated at 12:45 a.m. EDT, May 5, 2007

Violent activity was elevated for a Friday. At least 71 Iraqis were killed or found dead and 89 Iraqis were wounded. One foreign fighter identified as an al-Qaeda leader was killed as well. Also, the U.S. military today reported that five U.S. servicemembers were killed and 11 wounded in separate incidents yesterday and today, and disclosed the name of a previously unreported GI death.

A U.S. soldier was killed and two more wounded when their patrol struck a roadside bomb south of Baghdad today. Yesterday, another pair of GIs were killed during combat operations in Anbar Province. A fourth soldier was killed yesterday, and six more wounded, when their patrol struck a roadside bomb in eastern Baghdad. A fifth GI was killed, and three others wounded, when their patrol struck a roadside bomb in western Baghdad; an Iraqi interpreter was killed in the incident. The sixth GI died May 1st of wounds received on April 23 during combat in Anbar province.

An American patrol also clashed with gunmen today in Baghdad's Amiriya neighborhood, but no casualties were reported.

In Baghdad itself, five policemen were killed and two more wounded during a roadside bomb attack in the Hay al-Amil neighborhood. In the Doura section, a bomb outside a police station produced no injuries. While inspecting the controversial Adhamiya wall, Baghdad governor Hussein al-Tahan came under sniper fire; one of his bodyguards was wounded in the attack. Nearby, gunmen killed two guards at a mosque and set the building ablaze. Mortars fell on a drinking water fountain in Risala, but did not explode. In the Mansour district, a woman left a bomb inside a taxi cab; the driver and a policeman were injured when it went off at a checkpoint. Also, 15 dumped bodies were recovered.

In Sadr City, clashes took place between followers of Sadr and followers of Bedr at the latter's offices. Four guards were injured.

During raids in central Iraq, U.S. troops killed three gunmen and detained six more. Two more suspects killed in a May 1^st raid in Taji have been identified as al-Qaeda leaders; they were Sabah Hilal al-Shihawi, a religious adviser, and Abu Ammar al-Masri, a foreign fighter.

Four people were killed and 33 wounded during a car bombing in Kirkuk. Only 10 minutes later, two more explosions occurred south of town in Dumez, killing two people. Six police officers were killed by an explosion that occurred outside a policeman’s home.

Nine dumped bodies were found in Fallujah; four are thought to be brothers.

A car bomb that exploded outside the Mosul home of an army commander injured him and 13 others, including five members of his family.

In Wihda, four civilians were injured during mortar attacks.

Mortars killed two civilians in Khalis.

In Basra province, MNF forces wounded five gunmen during clashes. British patrols also came under fire, but no casualties were reported.

Seven bodies were fished out of the Diyala River at Baquba.

Clashes erupted in Najaf after an al-Sadr official was denied entry to the old town part of the city. Two policemen were wounded before a curfew restored calm to the city. Also, demonstrations took place against al-Jazeera television, which recently aired a program that local residents said was offensive.

In Hilla, a car bomb killed one person and wounded 21 outside a mosque that houses a shrine.

Clashes in Abu Saida between gunmen and villagers left one of the gunmen dead. More than 60 families have been displaced in the area over the last week.

In Kinaan, tribesmen have been fighting against attackers without government support. At least one of the tribesmen has been killed and five more injured.

A man was kidnapped in Shalan Mutlack.

A police colonel was killed in Shurqat.

Fierce fighting in Diwaniya and Iraqi soldier dead and three others wounded. A curfew was imposed.

A police director in Samawa survived an assassination attempt.

Near Suwayra, eight bodies were pulled out of the Tigris River.

In Mahumudiya, mortars killed on person and injured three others from the same family.

Compiled by Margaret Griffis