The Common Ills: Nouri's Iraq: at least 59 killed, at least 91 injured today

Thursday, January 30, 2014

Nouri's Iraq: at least 59 killed, at least 91 injured today

Yesterday, we were noting January's death toll isn't including the people killed by the military in the continuing assault on Anbar. Citing a security source, NINA reports that hospitals have received 141 civilians have been killed in Ramadi and Falluja alone this month with another 509 injured and "He added that this can not be considered as final number because there are dead and wounded in areas which could not be moved to the hospital." Through yesterday, Iraq Body Count counts 1037 violent deaths in Iraq so far this month. It's doubtful many counts will include the 141 civilians killed by the bombings and shellings from Nouri's forces. NINA also notes military shelling left 3 civilians dead in Ramadi with eight more injured.

Nouri's assault of Anbar was supposed to (a) deal with 'terrorists,' (b) be a swift operation and (c) demonstrate Nouri's skill.

In fact, (a) it's left many civilians dead, injured and homeless (over 150,000 people have fled their homes -- they better not try to flee to Baghdad since the military is preventing anyone entering Baghdad from Anbar), (b) it started the last week of December and it's ongoing with no clear end in sight and (c) he lost control of Falluja, Ramadi, other parts of Anbar and also of Baghdad.

Skill?

The assault on Anbar has actually demonstrated that Nouri has no problem targeting civilians, that he utilizes collective punishment (an international recognized War Crime), that he's inept as well as criminal.

Today's violence?

National Iraqi News Agency reports a Sooq Shallal of Alshaab area car bombing killed 1 Iraqi soldier and left nine people injured, an armed attack in Kirkuk left 2 Asayish (Kurdish security force) dead, an armed attack in Buhriz left 2 police members injured, an eastern Baghdad (al-Talbiyah area) roadside bombing left five people injured, a bomb in the garage of Baghdad's Transport Ministry left 1 police member dead and "others injured," 2 assailants blew themselves up in the garage and then others tried to enter the Ministry and six were killed, 2 police members were killed and seven more were injured, Babylon's Chief of Police, Hamza Atiya, survived a Hilla assassination attempt which left two of his bodyguards injured, a Kasra car bombing (Morocco Street) left 2 people dead and nine more injured, and security forces boast they killed 24 suspects today on a highway in Anbar Province,

Including the Ramadi shelling victims, that's 46 reported deaths (and I'm sure there were more reported) and 46 injured.

And that's before we include Reuters. Suadad al-Salhy reports on the attack on the Ministry of Transportation. Above, we noted 3 police members killed and seven injured and 8 assailants dead. That's 11 deaths. al-Salhy reports 24 deaths -- four were bombers who took their own lives, 2 were bombers who were shot dead, the other 18 were presumably security forces (though the report doesn't state that). al-Salhy also notes 50 were injured.

So adding 13 to the death toll, it's 59 reported deaths. Adding 43 more to the number injured brings a total of 91 reported injured.

The following community sites -- plus Jody Watley, the Guardian, Ms. magazine's blog, Antiwar.com, Pacifica Evening News and Black Agenda Report -- updated last night and today: