The Common Ills: Iraq: Attacks on protesters, Pilgrims and a Baghdad Church

Yesterday's violence brought the number of violent deaths in Iraq for the month so far to 466, according to Iraq Body Count. And the dying continues today. National Iraqi News Agency notes that protesters at a Tuz Khurmatu sit-in were attacked by 1 suicide bomber with "an explosive belt" who took his own life and left many demonstrators dead or injured. World Bulletin counts 2 suicide bombers and 13 demonstrators dead with another 71 injured. All Iraq News states it was one suicide bomber combined with a mortar attack. AFP informs, "Among the dead were a former deputy provincial governor and his two sons, as well as a former provincial councillor." Alsumaria identifies the former deputy manager as Ahmed Abdul Wahid and note that the vice president of the Turkmen Front, Ali Hashem Mukhtar Oglu, is the other official who died. Of the demonstration, Xinhua explains:

The Shiite Turkomans were holding a sit-in on a main road outside Tuz-Khurmato protesting the attacks by al-Qaida militants on their Shiite community in the city, which is part of the disputed areas claimed by the Kurds, Arabs and Turkomans.
The Kurds want to incorporate areas at the edges of their current Kurdistan region into their domain, a move fiercely opposed by the Baghdad government.
The Shiite Turkomans also demand the government to help form a special force to protect their minority from the attacks that they believe to be aimed at displacing them from their homes.

In addition to that attack, National Iraqi News Agency notes a bombing hit a bus of pilgrims outside Hilla as they were heading to Karbala leaving 3 dead and fifteen injured. All Iraq News quotes a security source stating, "Unidentified gunmen attack this morning the Mari Church in Ameen neighborhood of southeast Baghdad and injured three policemen in charge of securing the Church."

Outside of violence?

We'll go over an announcement later today in the snapshot. I'm waiting on that to see how it gets reported. I have a feeling it will be spun and not examined. We'll see how it plays out.

A number of e-mails have complained about Blogdrive (one of the backup sites).

I have no control over that as members and visitors of at least a few years know. At least once a year (at least once), Blogdrive goes nutty and for a week or two won't allow any posts. Today it's allowing them and, if I can find time, I will put everything up there. Otherwise, we'll just focus on getting the current stuff up. (And though it's 'fixed' -- 'fixed for Blogdrive' means you may spend a half hour repeatedly submitting data before one post will go up.)

The following community sites -- plus Jody Watley, Susan's On the Edge, Cindy Sheehan, Pacifica Evening News, Black Agenda Report, NPR, the Guardian, Chocolate City and Antiwar.com -- updated last night and this morning: