Updated at 3:05 p.m. EST, Jan. 21, 2009
The discovery of buried
bodies in Diyala province inflated the number of reported deaths in Iraq. At least
33 Iraqis were killed, including those found in the graves, and 17 more
were wounded. No Coalition deaths were reported, but the scheduled withdrawal
of U.S. troops from Iraq is a hot topic today due to a new president taking the
reins in Washington.
Yesterday, U.S. President Barack Obama promised
U.S. troops will responsibly leave Iraq and is today meeting with military and
security officials to devise a plan for a swift drawdown. Meanwhile, the Iraqi
government's spokesman, Ali al-Dabbagh, said
that the government is willing to see U.S. troops exit the country earlier than
stated in a security pact that the two countries agreed to late last year.
Eighteen decayed bodies were
found in six separate graves in Khalis. Mass graves are frequently found
across Diyala province where al-Qaeda once was a dominant force.
In Baghdad,
a sticky bomb attached to a
car carrying the president of the Islamic University killed
four people and wounded ten others in Adhamiya; however, the president
was unharmed.
The body of
a policeman was discovered in Zubair a day after he was kidnapped.
West of Makhmour, the body
of a 40-year old man bearing gunshot wounds was discovered.
A sticky
bomb killed a civilian in Iskandariya.
Thirteen suspects were arrested
in connection with the blast.
In Dour, a bomb blast killed
five policemen and wounded three more. A bomb blast wounded
a child. Police separately found a beheaded
man.
A civilian was
killed and another was wounded during a roadside bomb blast in Kirkuk.
Near Mosul in Areej village, an I.E.D. wounded
two Iraqi soldiers.
An old landmine in Jubeida killed
a woman.
Just west of Basra, a roadside bomb blasted an MNF
patrol, but no casualties were
reported.
Thirteen suspects, three wearing suicide vests, were arrested
at a funeral in Qayara. The funeral was for the head of the Iraqi National
Dialogue Front who was killed in a suicide bombing this week.
Three oil
companies, from Italy, Spain and Japan, submitted
bids to win a service contract that will allow one of them to develop an oil field
near Nasariya.
Although women are guaranteed access to government
positions, few of them are running
for seats in upcoming elections.
Compiled by Margaret Griffis
