US Soldier Killed; Abu Ghraib Photos show Rape

Iraqi guerrillas deployed a roadside bomb to kill a US soldier in Baghdad on Wednesday. Guerrillas have killed at least 20 US troops in May, compared to only 9 last March.

The Daily Telegraph reveals that the unreleased photographs of prisoner abuse at Abu Ghraib include graphic depictions of rape, both of a female and of a male.

In the wake of the embarrassing resignation of the Trade Minister over charges of corruption, the al-Maliki government says it wants to issue 1,000 warrants for arrests of government officials over embezzlement. Some 33 officials are said to have already been detained.

AFP reports that the al-Maliki government will ask Turkey and Iran for help in making up the shortfall of water and electricity hitting Iraq this summer.

Iraq has begun exporting a bit of oil from its Kurdistan region, suggesting that longstanding disputes between the federal oil ministry and the Kurdistan regional Government are being put aside.

McClatchy reports political violence in Iraq for Wednesday:

‘ Baghdad

A roadside bomb targeted the motorcade of a high ranking official in Karrada, central Baghdad at 9 a.m. Wednesday injuring two civilians and damaging one civilian car.

A parked car bomb exploded in an open air marker in Abu Ghraib area just as a U.S. military convoy drove away, at around noon Wednesday. The explosion injured 15 civilians. The American army confirmed the attack saying that “A Multi-National Division-Baghdad Soldier died of combat-related injuries after an improvised explosive device detonated near a patrol in western Baghdad May 27”.

Nineveh

A roadside bomb targeted an Iraqi Army patrol in al Islah al Ziraai neighbourhood, western Mosul Tuesday killing one soldier.

A roadside bomb targeted a police patrol in Shifaa neighbourhood, western Mosul Tuesday injuring two policemen.

– Gunmen opened fire at a man in Al-Dirkazliyah neighborhood in eastern Mosul on Wednesday. The man, who was a grocer, was killed at once.

– Gunmen riding a sedan car killed a civilian in Al-Intisar neighborhood in eastern Mosul on Wednesday.

– A roadside bomb targeted an Iraqi army patrol in Wadi Ighab (west of Mosul) on Wednesday. One person was wounded.’

End/ (Not Continued)