kut

A suicide bomber blew up his vehicle in a crowded market south of Baghdad on Friday, killing 22 people and wounding 40, police said. The bomber detonated his charge in the busy Mokhadar fruit and vegetable market in the centre of Suwayrah, about 50km from the capital, Baghdad.

Heavy overnight United States bombardment of Kut has killed 56 people and wounded more than 110, one day after clashes between police and Shi’ite Muslim militiamen in the southern Iraqi city, a medic said on Thursday. ”American planes started bombing the al-Shakia district, in southern Kut after 3am,” said Kut hospital director, Khader Fadal Arar. He said many of the dead and wounded were women and children.

The United States army regained control of the central Iraqi city of Kut on Friday following fierce fighting with Shiite Muslim militiamen in the early hours, the US army and Iraqi police said. ”The US army is in control of Kut,” a US military spokesperson in Baghdad said.