Tuesday: 5 GIs, 56 Iraqis Killed; 185 Iraqis Wounded

Updated at 1:30 a.m. EDT, April 23, 2008

At least 56 Iraqis were killed and 185 more were wounded in attacks across Iraq. Many of the wounded died either in Sadr City or during one of several significant bombings. Also, five U.S. servicemembers were killed in separate incidents, and two top aides to Grand Ayatollah al-Sistani died as well.

A suicide car bomber at a checkpoint near Ramadi killed two Marines and wounded three more this morning. Two policemen and 24 civilians were also wounded. A second car bombing, this one at a police station in the city, wounded 20 people, including women and policemen.

Yesterday, a roadside bomb killed one Marine and wounded a second in Basra. Meanwhile, the DOD reported that the death of a sailor on April 20 in Bahrain is being investigated. Also, an airman was found dead in Dubai of non-combat-related causes.

In Baghdad, three dumped bodies were found. A car bomb killed two Iraqi soldier and wounded 20 more in Mansour. A television reporter, his cameraman and their driver were wounded in a drive-by shooting in Zayouna. A rocket attack left six dead and 10 wounded in eastern Baghdad. In Zafaraniyah, a roadside bomb injured five people. A government employee was shot and killed in Shoala. At a checkpoint in al-Neiriyah, an Iraqi soldier was injured during an armed attack. Also, two policemen were injured during a roadside bombing in Bayaa.

Three suspects were killed last night after an attack on a U.S. patrol. In Baghdad al-Jadida, an air strike killed two suspects who fired on troops, while drone aircraft killed two suspects driving a vehicle full of weapons. Also, four Iraqi soldiers were killed and another 14 were wounded during operation in which three suspects were also killed.

In Sadr City, authorities reported four dead and 40 wounded since yesterday morning. Two suspects carrying grenade launchers were killed last night, while two more were killed after they attacked an observation post.

A car bomb in Mosul left two dead and 20 wounded near a provincial government building. Gunmen shot and killed a lawyer. Also, a man and his daughter were injured during a roadside bombing.

In Jalawla, a female suicide bomber killed eight people and wounded 17 at a police station.

In Basra, a top aide to Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani died from injuries received last week in a drive-by shooting. Two others were injured separately. Meanwhile, clashes took place in a northern neighborhood, but no casualties were reported.

An al-Sistani aide was killed yesterday in Najaf.

Near Kirkuk in Sirat village, gunmen attacked a checkpoint. One of them was killed and two more were injured.

U.S. and Iraqi forces killed one suspect while detaining 23 others and finding a weapons cache in Salah ad Din province.

Seven suspects were captured in Karbala.

In Muqdadiyah, 23 suspects were detained. A bomb on a highway heading to Baquba left no casualties.

U.S. forces killed six suspects in Kalaf al-Hasun village in Diyala province. Two American soldiers were wounded.

Compiled by Margaret Griffis