BAGHDAD, July 9, 2008
Iraqi Forces Tout Terrorist Attack Decline
June Violence Down 85 Percent From Last Year, Army Official Says
-
U.S. Army soldiers from Charlie Battery, Fires Squadron, Second Stryker Cavalry Regiment prepare to leave their outpost for Operation Fires Festung in Qubah, north of Baghdad in Iraq's volatile Diyala province on July 9, 2008. (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo)
-
Interactive Battle For Iraq The government, the insurgency, key players, background and photos.
-
Interactive Iraq: 5 Years At War Five years after the U.S.-led invasion, the war wears on.
An average of 25 attacks took place each day in June, compared to 160 during the same month in 2007, said Iraqi army spokesman Maj. Gen. Qassim al-Mousawi during a press conference. He did not provide details on the individual attacks included in the figures.
Despite the security gains, frequent attacks continue throughout the country.
The Iraqi military said five civilians were killed when a suicide car bomber targeted a military convoy carrying a top Iraqi commander. The attack happened Wednesday in Mosul, in northern Iraq.
Lt. Gen. Riyadh Jalal Tawfiq, chief of operations in Ninevah province, escaped unharmed. But the military says five civilians were killed and 22 people, including seven of the commander's guards, were injured.
A bomb went off outside a bank in the one-time Sunni insurgent stronghold of Fallujah on Wednesday, killing four policemen and a civilian, Iraqi police said.
An initial blast went off at the scene at 6:30 a.m., drawing a crowd and police to the area. Then a second bomb went off, causing the deaths and wounding 15 people in the city, west of Baghdad, a police official said. The injured included an Iraqi television cameraman.
The police official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media.
The attack came a day after Iraqi officials stepped up pressure on the United States to agree to a specific timeline to withdraw American forces, a sign of the government's growing confidence as violence falls.
Assailants killed a policeman Wednesday in a drive-by shooting in the northern city of Mosul, where many insurgents are believed to have relocated after facing intense military pressure in Baghdad and other urban centers.
Police in Ramadi, west of Baghdad, said workers who were rebuilding a primary school discovered 22 bodies, most of them under concrete in a playing field. A police official, who earlier said only five bodies were discovered, said the remains were believed to have been buried more than a year ago.
Relatives of missing people were summoned to the site Tuesday. Those identified included a Muslim cleric whose wife recognized his clothes, the official said on condition of anonymity because of security reasons.
Ramadi, like Fallujah, was a stronghold of the Sunni-led insurgency, but violence there has dropped sharply since Sunni tribal leaders and their fighters formed an alliance with the U.S. military.
In other developments:
© MMVIII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Add a Comment See all 13 Comments
- "to continue your failed war!! - Posted by RGRXX175
Yet again another far left, liberal whiner with his selective memory permanently switched on.
I distinctly remember the President saying that the war on terror would take a very long time, yet, this lib is still trying to sell us on a tired old lie about a sign requested by the aircraft carrier''s crew.
Probably a short term memory thing. That''s how weed affects the brain. What about crack - does it make you flip-flop ? - Reply to this comment
- May 1, 2003 Bush stood underneath a %u201CMission Accomplished%u201D banner and announced that %u201CMajor combat operations have ended. In the battle of Iraq, the United States and our allies have prevailed.%u201D
good one george, hey at least we have old mccain to continue your failed war!! - Reply to this comment
- I guess the war in Iraq is over. George W. Bush has been ordered by the Saudis to start a war with Iran. Tehran would lower the price on gasoline. Iranis reduce cost to prevent war and appease customers. The Saudis are not to be stalemated by Iran. They plan on escalating war in Afghanistan to justify the price on a barrel of oil.
- Reply to this comment
Re: "Iraqi Forces Tout Terrorist Attack Decline"
The nice thing about "al-Qaeda-in-Iraq", is the fact that it is an imaginary group, allowing the regime and their puppets to resurrect and re-defeat them, as needed.- Reply to this comment
- "Return on Success".
Okay, let''s go... to a worsening Afghanistan... - Reply to this comment
- RE: ''good news from Iraq'',
We heard a lot of ''good news'' about Viet Nam from our government. All lies and half truths. Why should Bush and his team be any different. They have an agenda and it is NOT nation building for freedom''s sake. That is the line of BULL given to the arm chair patriots of our nation.
BTW, Iraq wants us to leave. Why aren''t we? - Reply to this comment
- RE: ''good news from Iraq'',
We heard a lot of ''good news'' about Viet Nam from our government. All lies and half truths. Why should Bush and his team be any different. They have an agenda and it is NOT nation building for freedom''s sake. That is the line of BULL given to the arm chair patriots of our nation.
BTW, Iraq wants us to leave. Why aren''t we? - Reply to this comment
- Bring our troopers home now.Were going to need them when the depression hits and BUS$$ declares martial law.
- Reply to this comment
- Iraq is a cluster ****!
- Reply to this comment
- Notice how the far-left liberals AVOID GOOD NEWS FROM IRAQ like the plague?
Ironic - because liberalism IS the plague...
That is why CBS quickly buried this story.
CBS''s new slogan:
"CBS News. Cherry-picking the news for the sake of the liberal agenda to destroy America."
But the sad fact is that liberalism''s popularity is sinking into the same quagmire that CBS''s popularity ratings are, and also the Democrat-controlled congress miserably all-time low approval ratings are. - Reply to this comment
- Posted by OneAmerican- at 10:18 AM : Jul 09, 2008, "Notice how the far-left liberals AVOID GOOD NEWS FROM IRAQ like the plague?
Ironic - because liberalism IS the plague..."
This isn''t good news, it is borderline false prophecy, to be waved high in the air by GWB & Co. Get ready, GWB destabilized the area and as soon as we leave it will revert back to nothing but war lords and religous fanatics. - Reply to this comment
- From the article, "The Iraqi military said Wednesday the number of "terrorist attacks" in June declined 85 percent from the same period a year ago."
Yeppers, the terrorists are waiting, knowing that USA will be gone soon and they will be able to take over that incompetent aragant govt. GWB has sucessfully installed. - Reply to this comment
- Notice how the far-left liberals AVOID GOOD NEWS FROM IRAQ like the plague?
Ironic - because liberalism IS the plague... - Reply to this comment
Mike Huckabee on GOP "rock stars," 2012, health care reform and more.
