Monday, July 17, 2006

Explosion Near Iraqi Mosque Kills 40, Wounds 90

WASHINGTON, July 17, 2006 – Initial reports indicate 40 Iraqi citizens were killed and 90 wounded today when terrorists stormed a market area near the Mohammed Al Amin Mosque in Mahmudiya, Iraq, military officials reported. Iraqi security forces and soldiers from Multinational Division Baghdad immediately responded to the attack.

Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 4th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, responded to explosions in the area at about 9:15 a.m. The troops began taking small-arms fire from unknown assailants southwest of the mosque while they performed a cordon-and-search operation for a suspicious vehicle in the neighborhood.

Meanwhile, U.S. soldiers from 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, reported seeing an explosion in the same area. The soldiers reported two buildings on fire and notified the Mahmudiyah fire department. Iraqi Army and Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers continued to receive small-arms fire and reported hearing seven more explosions.

An explosive ordnance disposal team determined the explosions had been made by grenades. Witnesses confirmed their findings, reporting that several terrorists had been throwing grenades in the market.

Iraqi army soldiers searched the area, found two suspects in a nearby house and took them into custody. The suspects had two rocket-propelled grenades, an AK-47 rifle and a bag of grenades.

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