Man, it looks like this place is going to be one big firecracker on 30 June.
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Insurgents strike at Iraqi cities
Insurgents in Iraq have launched a series of apparently co-ordinated attacks on security forces in five towns and cities.
The worst attacks were in the northern city of Mosul, where at least 40 people died and 60 were hurt in a series of car bombings, Iraqi police said.
At least 19 people died in attacks in the towns of Baquba and Ramadi, while residents fled fighting in Falluja.
Four Iraqi national guardsmen were killed by a car bomb in Baghdad.
Three US soldiers died in Thursday's raids, the American military said.
Iraqi and US officials had warned that attacks on security forces would increase in the run-up to the 30 June handover of power to an Iraqi interim government.
The BBC's Dumeethra Luthra in Baghdad says most of the attacks appeared to be part of a co-ordinated pre-dawn offensive.
Trading fire
There are reports of between four and seven bombings in Mosul.
Police in the city said US forces and insurgents were now trading fire in the streets.
We suspect that these were coordinated attacks, simultaneous attacks, looking at the timeline
US military official
Car bomb attacks were reported in the al-Wakhas district and on the Wadi Hajar police station in the south of the city.
The Iraqi Police Academy, another police station and the al-Jumhuri hospital were also attacked, according to Iraqi police and doctors.
A police lieutenant, Mohammed Mohammad Abdul Karim, told the Agence France-Presse news agency seven people were killed and 20 wounded in the al-Wakhas attack.
Another policeman said the Wadi Hajar bomb had left "many killed and wounded".
A police station in Ramadi, destroyed by the insurgents
In Baquba, 55km (35 miles) north-east of Baghdad, witnesses described how masked men dressed in black took control of the main road.
They attacked a police station with assault rifles and rocket-propelled grenades.
US military spokesman, Major Neal O'Brien, said a US patrol had been attacked in Baquba.
"The patrol returned fire, killing two insurgents. There also have been reports of indiscriminate fire, landing in populated areas. They're firing mortars indiscriminately," Major O'Brien said.
Two US soldiers died in the Baquba fighting and seven were wounded, the US army said.
American aircraft dropped three 225kg bombs on one insurgent position, US officials said.
Helicopter downed
In Ramadi, 100km west of the capital, similarly black-clad insurgents fired rocket-propelled grenades at two police stations, police said.
MONTH OF VIOLENCE
22 June: US says it kills 20 militants in Falluja air strike
21 June: Four US soldiers die in Ramadi ambush
16 June: Iraqi oil fields security chief killed in Kirkuk
14 June: 12 die in Baghdad car bomb
13 June: Education ministry official killed in Baghdad
12 June: Interim deputy foreign minister Bassam Qubba killed in Baghdad
8 June: Car bombs kill 15 in Mosul and Baquba
"We were inside the al-Qataneh police station and suddenly a very heavy explosion happened," said 1st Lt Ahmed Sami.
"We discovered later on that the police station was attacked from all around."
Seven people were killed and 13 were wounded in the attack, hospital officials said.
Two other groups of insurgents attacked a second police station and a government building.
One resident said by telephone that no-one was able to leave their home due to heavy gunfire in central Ramadi.
In Falluja, the US military said a Cobra helicopter had been shot down but there were no casualties.
US warplanes and helicopter gunships were flying low over the city in response to gunfire and rocket-propelled grenades.
Residents were seen fleeing towards the main road out of the city.
Four members of Iraq's national guard died and two people were hurt in the Baghdad car bomb blast.
The attack took place at a checkpoint in the southern district of Dora.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3835001.stm
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Insurgents strike at Iraqi cities
Insurgents in Iraq have launched a series of apparently co-ordinated attacks on security forces in five towns and cities.
The worst attacks were in the northern city of Mosul, where at least 40 people died and 60 were hurt in a series of car bombings, Iraqi police said.
At least 19 people died in attacks in the towns of Baquba and Ramadi, while residents fled fighting in Falluja.
Four Iraqi national guardsmen were killed by a car bomb in Baghdad.
Three US soldiers died in Thursday's raids, the American military said.
Iraqi and US officials had warned that attacks on security forces would increase in the run-up to the 30 June handover of power to an Iraqi interim government.
The BBC's Dumeethra Luthra in Baghdad says most of the attacks appeared to be part of a co-ordinated pre-dawn offensive.
Trading fire
There are reports of between four and seven bombings in Mosul.
Police in the city said US forces and insurgents were now trading fire in the streets.
We suspect that these were coordinated attacks, simultaneous attacks, looking at the timeline
US military official
Car bomb attacks were reported in the al-Wakhas district and on the Wadi Hajar police station in the south of the city.
The Iraqi Police Academy, another police station and the al-Jumhuri hospital were also attacked, according to Iraqi police and doctors.
A police lieutenant, Mohammed Mohammad Abdul Karim, told the Agence France-Presse news agency seven people were killed and 20 wounded in the al-Wakhas attack.
Another policeman said the Wadi Hajar bomb had left "many killed and wounded".
A police station in Ramadi, destroyed by the insurgents
In Baquba, 55km (35 miles) north-east of Baghdad, witnesses described how masked men dressed in black took control of the main road.
They attacked a police station with assault rifles and rocket-propelled grenades.
US military spokesman, Major Neal O'Brien, said a US patrol had been attacked in Baquba.
"The patrol returned fire, killing two insurgents. There also have been reports of indiscriminate fire, landing in populated areas. They're firing mortars indiscriminately," Major O'Brien said.
Two US soldiers died in the Baquba fighting and seven were wounded, the US army said.
American aircraft dropped three 225kg bombs on one insurgent position, US officials said.
Helicopter downed
In Ramadi, 100km west of the capital, similarly black-clad insurgents fired rocket-propelled grenades at two police stations, police said.
MONTH OF VIOLENCE
22 June: US says it kills 20 militants in Falluja air strike
21 June: Four US soldiers die in Ramadi ambush
16 June: Iraqi oil fields security chief killed in Kirkuk
14 June: 12 die in Baghdad car bomb
13 June: Education ministry official killed in Baghdad
12 June: Interim deputy foreign minister Bassam Qubba killed in Baghdad
8 June: Car bombs kill 15 in Mosul and Baquba
"We were inside the al-Qataneh police station and suddenly a very heavy explosion happened," said 1st Lt Ahmed Sami.
"We discovered later on that the police station was attacked from all around."
Seven people were killed and 13 were wounded in the attack, hospital officials said.
Two other groups of insurgents attacked a second police station and a government building.
One resident said by telephone that no-one was able to leave their home due to heavy gunfire in central Ramadi.
In Falluja, the US military said a Cobra helicopter had been shot down but there were no casualties.
US warplanes and helicopter gunships were flying low over the city in response to gunfire and rocket-propelled grenades.
Residents were seen fleeing towards the main road out of the city.
Four members of Iraq's national guard died and two people were hurt in the Baghdad car bomb blast.
The attack took place at a checkpoint in the southern district of Dora.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3835001.stm
