·       One US, one Iraqi puppet "National Guard" soldier reported killed by Resistance sharpshooters in al-Fallujah.

·       US demolishes buildings in ar-Ramadi reportedly in preparation for building a fortress "green zone" in that city.

·       Iraqi Resistance sharpshooter reportedly kills US soldier in al-Khalidiyah.

·       Two Resistance car bombers blast into puppet army checkpoint in Baghdad’s al-Iskan neighborhood, killing six Iraqi puppet army troops.

·       US forces assume responsibility for "security" northeast of Tikrit after three Resistance attacks wipe out three puppet police checkpoints, killing 25 puppet policemen.

·       Four US troops reported killed in Resistance bombing in al-Ishaqi.

·       Resistance rockets blast two US helicopters out of the sky north of al-Miqdadiyah Thursday afternoon.  All crewmen reported killed.

·       Resistance responds to American barrage killing women and children near al-Miqdadiyah by assaulting US, Iraqi puppet troops, reportedly killing 10 Americans.

Al-Anbar Province.

Hit.

Two Resistance bombs blast two US patrols in Hit midday Thursday.

In a dispatch posted at 8:55pm Makkah time Thursday afternoon, Mafkarat al-Islam reported that two Iraqi Resistance bombs exploded by two US patrols on the main road in Hit, about 170km northwest of Baghdad at midday Thursday.

The correspondent for Mafkarat al-Islam reported eyewitnesses in Hit as saying that one bomb went off by a US patrol on al-Jari Street in the middle of the city.  The blast completely destroyed one Humvee, killing or wounding the four American troops who were aboard it.

The Mafkarat al-Islam correspondent reported that the Resistance had planted a second bomb on the road to the main city garage in the middle of Hit.  That bomb exploded by another American patrol less than an hour after the first blast.  The second bombing disabled a US armored vehicle, killing or wounding the four US crewmen aboard it.

Al-Fallujah.

One US, one Iraqi puppet "National Guard" soldier reported killed by Resistance sharpshooters in al-Fallujah.

In a dispatch posted at 8:50pm Makkah time Thursday night, Mafkarat al-Islam reported that an Iraqi Resistance marksman shot and killed one US soldier and one Iraqi puppet "National Guard" soldier in the al-Jawlan neighborhood of northwestern al-Fallujah about 60km west of Baghdad.

The correspondent for Mafkarat al-Islam reported eyewitnesses in al-Jawlan as saying that an Iraqi puppet "National Guard" patrol was near the al-Khalij al-'Arabi School in th al-Jawlan neighborhood when one of the puppet "Guards" was struck in the head and killed by an Iraqi sharpshooter’s bullet.

In a second attack a US military patrol was near the Martyr 'Ala’ ad-Din Falih Secondary School in al-Jawlan when one of the Americans took a direct hit from an Iraqi Resistance sharpshooter’s bullet.  Witnesses said the American soldier died instantly, falling convulsively to the ground.

Ar-Ramadi.

US demolishes buildings in ar-Ramadi reportedly in preparation for building a fortress "green zone" in that city.

For several days US forces in the city of ar-Ramadi, about 110km west of Baghdad have been demolishing buildings in the city in a move that local people believe is in preparations for building a "green zone" type of fortress.

Quds Press reported residents as saying that US forces had destroyed about 10 buildings, some of them owned by local people and some owned by the state.  When local residents asked the Americans why they were demolishing the buildings, the American troops replied that they were building a "public park" – something that ar-Ramadi residents do not believe, Quds Press reported.  The residents say that translators working for the Americans have told them that the US aim is to create a "green zone" fortified area like the high-security district the Americans have created in downtown Baghdad in which the headquarters of the American occupation and its puppet "Iraqi government" are housed.

The demolition work served to discredit reports that the Americans might be getting ready to pull out of ar-Ramadi after concluding agreements with tribal leaders.

Al-Khalidiyah.

Iraqi Resistance sharpshooter reportedly kills US soldier in al-Khalidiyah.

In a dispatch posted at 1:05pm Makkah time Thursday afternoon, Mafkarat al-Islam reported that an Iraqi Resistance marksman shot and killed a US soldier in the town of al-Khalidiyah, about 80km west of Baghdad.

The al-Khalidiyah correspondent for Mafkarat al-Islam reported local eyewitnesses as saying that a US soldier who was on guard duty at the as-Siddiqin Bridge took a direct hit from an Iraqi Resistance sharpshooter’s bullet, killing him instantly.

In a separate attack an Iraqi puppet "National Guard" soldier on a foot patrol with puppet forces in the Jazirat al-Khalidiyah area took a direct hit from an Iraqi Resistance sharpshooter’s bullet and died instantly.

Baghdad.

Two Resistance car bombers blast into puppet army checkpoint in Baghdad’s al-Iskan neighborhood, killing six Iraqi puppet army troops.

In a dispatch posted at 4:21pm Makkah time Thursday afternoon, Mafkarat al-Islam reported that two Iraqi Resistance fida’i fighters drove car bombs into a checkpoint manned by Iraqi puppet troops in the al-Iskan neighborhood in western Baghdad.

The correspondent for Mafkarat al-Islam reported eyewitnesses in al-Iskan as saying that two Resistance fighters drove explosives-laden cars into a checkpoint on the road to al-Ma’mun College in al-Iskan, destroying a patrol vehicle and killing six Iraqi puppet troops and wounding four more of them.  Three civilians who were nearby at the time were also wounded in the attack.

Resistance bomber strikes puppet "Order Protection Force" checkpoint in Baghdad.

In a dispatch posted at 9:30am Makkah time Thursday morning, Mafkarat al-Islam reported that an Iraqi Resistance fida’i fighter drove a car bomb into a check point manned by puppet "Order Protection Forces" in the al-Khadra’ neighborhood in western Baghdad.

The correspondent for Mafkarat al-Islam reported eyewitnesses in al-Khadra’ as saying that a Resistance fighter drove an explosives-laden car into the middle of the checkpoint on the highway near the al-'Adl neighborhood bridge and blew it up.  The blast disabled two puppet force patrol vehicles and killed five Iraqi puppet troops and wounded six more of them.

Salah ad-Din Province.

Tikrit.

US forces assume responsibility for "security" northeast of Tikrit after three Resistance attacks wipe out three puppet police checkpoints, killing 25 puppet policemen.

In a dispatch posted at 8:42pm Makkah time Thursday night, Mafkarat al-Islam reported that Iraqi Resistance forces on Wednesday night and Thursday morning attacked and brought down three puppet police checkpoints in the Jabal Makhul area, some 20km northeast of Tikrit.

The correspondent for Mafkarat al-Islam reported a source in the Iraqi puppet police as saying that more than 20 Resistance fighters attacked a puppet police checkpoint on Wednesday night, killing all six puppet policemen who were manning it.  The attackers then set the checkpoint and patrol cars there ablze.

The source said that the same Resistance fighters attacked a second checkpoint about 10km from the first down the same road.  The Resistance attackers killed all seven puppet policemen at that checkpoint, including the officer in charge, and then burned it to the ground also.

Then at 5am local time Thursday morning, Resistance fighters in the same area set fire to a third puppet police checkpoint, when they opened fire on it with 62mm and 82mm mortars.  The Resistance attack left 12 puppet policemen dead and the checkpoint destroyed.

In all 25 puppet policemen were killed, one of them an officer.

Hours after the attacks, US occupation forces announced that they had assumed responsibility for security from the Iraqi puppet police in that area because of what they called the "incompetence" of the Iraqi puppet forces.

Al-Ishaqi.

Four US troops reported killed in Resistance bombing in al-Ishaqi.

In a dispatch posted at 10:05am Makkah time Thursday morning, Mafkarat al-Islam reported that an Iraqi Resistance bomb exploded by a US military column in al-Ishaqi, about 85km north of Baghdad on the main road between Baghdad and Balad.

The correspondent for Mafkarat al-Islam reported eyewitnesses in al-Ishaqi as saying that a bomb planted by the side of the road to Balad exploded by a US column, completely destroying a US column and killing four American troops who were aboard.

Diyala Province.

Al-Miqdadiyah.

Resistance shoots down second US helicopter with Strela missile north of al-Miqdadiyah.

In a bulletin posted at 5:15pm Makkah time Thursday afternoon, Mafkarat al-Islam reported that a short while earlier, Iraqi Resistance fighters had shot down a second American Apache helicopter over the village of az-Zur, north of al-Miqdadiyah, about 85km northeast of Baghdad.

The correspondent for Mafkarat al-Islam reported that the second helicopter crashed after being hit by a Strela anti-aircraft rocket.  The American aircraft was reportedly flying low over the village at the time it was hit.

Witnesses said that no more than 15 minutes elapsed between the downing of the first helicopter and the crash of the second.  The crew of the second helicopter was killed instantly, witnesses said, as was the case in the first crash.

According to Quds Press, the name of the village in which the two American Apache helicopter were shot down was al-Jabbur.

Resistance rocket blasts US Apache helicopter out of the sky near al-Miqdadiyah.  Crew reported killed.

In a dispatch posted at 3:45pm Makkah time Thursday afternoon, Mafkarat al-Islam reported that a short while earlier, Iraqi Resistance forces had fired a rocket at a US helicopter over the village of az-Zur north of the city of al-Miqdadiyah, about 85km northeast of Baghdad.  The attack on the American aircraft followed fighting that erupted in az-Zur village between Iraqi Resistance forces and US occupation troops.

Quds Press reported that US forces had been enforcing a total blockade on the village – the name of which they listed as al-Jabbur – for three days, prohibiting even medicine from entering the village after clashes broke out there between Iraqi Resistance fighters and Shi'i sectarian Jaysh al-Mahdi militiamen.

Local resident Muhammad Bakr al-Jabburi told Quds Press by telephone that rather than concentrate on the Jaysh al-Mahdi militia who had attacked the village, the Americans surrounded the village and imposed a blockade and curfew and then tried to confiscate the weapons owned by villagers.  Since early Thursday morning US aircraft had attacked two houses in the village, al-Jabburi said, killing women and children and destroying two private cars.

The correspondent for Mafkarat al-Islam reported that the rocket blasted the helicopter out of the sky over the village.

The correspondent reported that fighting raged intermittently from Thursday morning until 3:30pm local time Thursday afternoon.  The correspondent reported villagers in az-Zur as saying that an unknown type of rocket blew up the American helicopter, an Apache, in the air, scattering parts of the craft around the area.  The crewmen aboard were killed instantly.

After the downing, US forces invaded the village and imposed a total curfew.

Resistance responds to American barrage killing women and children by assaulting US, Iraqi puppet troops, reportedly killing 10 Americans.

In a dispatch posted at 10:20am Makkah time Thursday morning, Mafkarat al-Islam reported that fierce fighting broke out between US occupation troops and their Iraqi puppet "National Guard" allies on one side and Iraqi Resistance fighters on the other in the Jabbur area near al-Miqdadiyah, about 85km northeast of Baghdad.

The Diyala Province correspondent for Mafkarat al-Islam reported eyewitnesses in al-Miqdadiyah as saying that the battle erupted after the US and Iraqi puppet forces shelled  homes in the area killing a number of innocent civilians including women, children, and elderly people.

After the American bombardment, Iraqi Resistance fighters armed with light and medium weapons, rocket launchers, and mortars, attacked the US and Iraqi puppet troops in the Jabbur area and other locations in the vicinity.  Resistance fighters completely destroyed two US armored vehicles and two Humvees, killing at least nine US troops and wounding 10 more.  Afterwards, the Resistance fighters made a tactical withdrawal from the area, having suffered no losses of their own.

An-Nahrawan.

Seven puppet policemen killed in Resistance assaults in an-Nahrawan.

In a dispatch posted at 3pm Makkah time Thursday afternoon, Mafkarat al-Islam reported that Iraqi Resistance fighters attacked a puppet police patrol near the puppet police station in an-Nahrawan, 25km southeast of Baghdad.

The Diyala Province correspondent for Mafkarat al-Islam reported eyewitnesses in an-Nahrawan as saying that Resistance fighters armed with light and medium weapons an rocket launchers attacked a number of puppet police patrols and the puppet police station in an-Nahrawan.  The attacks destroyed and set ablaze four patrol vehicles and killed seven puppet policemen.  Six more of the puppet police were wounded in the assaults.

Ninwa Province.

Tall 'Afar.

Resistance bomb kills four puppet "Iraqi National Guards."

In a dispatch posted at 1:07pm Makkah time Thursday afternoon, Mafkarat al-Islam reported that an Iraqi Resistance bomb exploded by an Iraqi puppet army patrol in the Hasankoy area of Tall 'Afar, about 55km west of the northern Iraqi city of al-Mawsil.

The correspondent for Mafkarat al-Islam reported eyewitnesses in Tall 'Afar as saying that a bomb planted by the main road in the Hasankoy neighborhood blew up, disabling a puppet "Iraqi National Guard" Jeep and killing three puppet "Guards."  Another two puppet "National Guards" were severely wounded in the attack.

Al-Kufah Province.

Al-Kufah.

Mysterious car bomb explodes in al-Kufah killing a reported 15 Shi'i pilgrims, most of them Iranian.

About 60 people were killed or injured when a mysterious car bomb exploded near a Shi'i shrine near al-Kufah in southern Iraq.  Quds Press reported that most of the casualties were Iranian Shi'i pilgrims.

A source in the local puppet police told Quds Press that an explosives-laden car that was parked near the Maytham at-Tammar tomb in the al-Kufah area blew up at exactly 7am local time Thursday.  The explosion took place amidst a large gathering of Iranians who were camped at the tomb.

The puppet police source told Mafkarat al-Islam that about 15 of the pilgrims were killed and more than 45 more of them were wounded, according to preliminary reports.  Plumes of black smoke could be seen rising from the area as hysteria and chaos set in among people in the area, which had not yet been the scene of bombings.

The website of the Association of Muslim Scholars of Iraq, the highest Sunni Muslim religious authority in the occupied country reported that the explosion was caused by a Kia minibus that broke through a puppet police barricade and exploded by two large busses carrying Iranian visitors.  The report said that the two tourist busses were destroyed and a large number of passengers killed or wounded.

The Muslim Scholars Association, in a dispatch posted at 1:05pm Baghdad time midday  Thursday that no final casualty count had yet been made and that there were conflicting reports on the number of dead and wounded.  The Association said that based on initial reports from the puppet police and hospitals, 13 people were killed and 41 more injured in the explosion.  A large number of the injured were listed as having severe wounds to the number of dead was expected to rise.

The Association news report added that it had also been confirmed that a large number of puppet policemen who were guarding the shrine were among the casualties. Body parts were thrown all over the area, including into the tomb of Maytham at-Tammar, a companion of the Prophet Muhammad.  Puppet security men and police went around collecting the body parts and putting them in bags, following the bombing.

Al-Basrah Province.

Al-Basrah.

Resistance rockets blast British headquarters in al-Basrah.

In a dispatch posted at 9:45am Makkah time Thursday morning, Mafkarat al-Islam reported that Iraqi Resistance forces fired two medium-range Katyusha rockets into the British occupation forces’ headquarters in the presidential palaces in the southern Iraqi city of al-Basrah.

The al-Basrah correspondent for Mafkarat al-Islam reported eyewitnesses in the al-Barradi'iyah neighborhood, which lies near the British headquarters, as saying that the rockets scored direct hits, setting off explosions and sending plumes of smoke rising into the sky.