Nur al-Cubicle

A blog on the current crises in the Middle East and news accounts unpublished by the US press. Daily timeline of events in Iraq as collected from stories and dispatches in the French and Italian media: Le Monde (Paris), Il Corriere della Sera (Milan), La Repubblica (Rome), L'Orient-Le Jour (Beirut) and occasionally from El Mundo (Madrid).

Friday, January 20, 2006

20 January 2006 Events in Iraq and in the Region

Ramallah. The election promise of the radical Palestinian group Hamas is to preserve Palestine against anarchy, corruption, and poverty while continuing its armed struggle against Israel. It has baptized its slate "Change and Reform". Hamas and Fateh are neck-and-neck in opinion polls.

Ramallah. The Israeli Army used tear gas and clubs against demonstrators protesting the Security Wall. Among the demonstrators were Palestinians and foreign and Israeli activists. Several were either wounded or arrested. The wall is being built on confiscated land in the village of Bilin near Ramallah.

Baghdad. Iraqi president Jalal Talabani has launched the idea of a national unity government, supported by the Americans. But powerful Shi'ite leaders such as Abdel Aziz Hakim, leader of the United Iraqi Alliance, has underscored that the verdict of the ballot box cannot be ignored.

Baghdad. The British Ambassador suggests a signficant reduction in troop levels in 2006.

Morocco. The graves of Abdelhak Rouissi and Abdellatif Zeroual, who disappeared in 1964 and 1974, respectively, under the reign of Hassan II, have been discovered. The remains of Rouissi were found near Casablanca; those of Zeroual were found in the outskirts of Rabat. Zeroual was arrested in 1974 and sent to the secret prison of Derb Moulay Chrif in Casablanca. He was later transferred to Ibn Sina Hospital in Rabat, where he disappeared.

Baghdad. National Security Advisor Mouaffak al-Roubaïe complained of secret talks between the Americans and the insurgents and denounced the contacts as "appeasement".

Berlin. German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier appeared before German parliament to report on the role of two German intelligence agents in Baghdad during the war who designated bombing targets for the Americans. A parliamentary investigation has been demanded.

Baghdad. The Pentagon has announced that the release of six of eight Iraqi female prisoners held by the American military would take place no time soon, contradicting an announcement by the Iraqi authorities.

Baghdad. Two Iraqi civilians were killed when a roadside bomb targeting a US patrol exploded.

Baghdad. Five persons, including a police colonel, were kidnapped from a Baghdad restaurant by thirty unidentified men in uniform.

Baghdad. Iraqi security forces foils an assassination attempt on Shi'ite leader Abdelaziz Hakim.

Jerusalem. Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz accused Tehran and Damascus of involvement in a suicide bombing in Tel-Aviv. The bomber was identified as Sami Antar, 22, of Nablus.

Damascus. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has concluded a visit to Damascus where he met with the leaders of Palestinian radical movements and Lebanese Hezbollah. Ahmadinejad also visited Shi'ite shrines, including the Mosque of the Umayyads in Damascus. Syria welcomes thousands of Shi'ite pilgrim a year. Meanwhile, Israel claimed the visit was a "terrorism summit".

Damascus. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad defends the Palestinian right to armed resistance.

23:20 Baghdad. No contact has been had with the kidnappers of Jill Carroll.

19:54 Guantanamo. A sixth Guantanamo prisoner will face a military tribunal on charges of complicity with the enemy and attacks against civilians. Abdul Zahir, said to be a translator and treasurer for al-Qaeda, is to face a six-member military commission.

20:46 London. A Briton working for a private security agency was killed.

17:09 New York. The price of oil rose $1.17 to hit $68 per barrel. Tensions in Nigeria and in Iran is driving prices up.

15:53 Washington. GAO offices evacuated after "dirty bomb" scare.

13:52 Baghdad. Police Major Ahmed Brihi Tayeh was ambushed and killed.

13:30 Baghdad. Election results. The UIA, the Shi'ite list, wins 128 seats in Parliament. Kurds win 53; the main Sunni formation wins 44; Iyad Allawi wins 25 and the minor Sunni party 11.

11:09 Baghdad. Vast anti-guerrilla offensive. Iraqi and US troops raid the Dora district of Baghdad

09:30 Baghdad. Blast kills four. A roadside bomb meant for a US convoy kills four civilians.

08:58 Baghdad. Four Iraqi police kidnapped by armed men.

09:10 Washington. Vice President Dick Cheney warns of soaring oil prices as the nuclear crisis with Iran continues.

08:48 Basrah. Iran has released eight Iraqi coastguards detained on Saturday after a clash on the Shatt al-Arab waterway, which marks the Iran-Iraq border. A ninth coastguard died of wounds sustained in the gunfight and his body will be repatriated later.

07:53 Baghdad. Lockdown in three provinces. The Baghdad government has closed three provinces: Diyala, Salaheddin and al-Anbar in advance of the release of the results of the election

03:53 New York. US officer to be court-martialed. Lewis Welshofer Jr. may have violated the Geneva Convenion by causing the death of an Iraqi general during interrogation. Welshofer forced and Iraqi general to crawl into a sleeping bag head first and attached electrodes to his feet. He then sat on the general's chest, suffocating him.

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