6 US Soldiers Killed over Weekend, Shiites Protest Killing of Qazwini

The Associated Press reports that 6 US soldiers were killed in Iraq in roadside bombings over the past weekend. Guerrillas also detonated a bomb on the Khalis – Kirkuk road that killed two Iraqi civilians. Nine US servicemen have been killed in the past 5 days.

The same report notes that about 1000 mourners came out for the funeral in Baghad Sunday of Haidar al-Qazwini, a Shiite shopkeeper. A man had come into his shop, leaving behind a bag of explosives, which later exploded. Al-Qazwini was the brother-in-law of Ibrahim al-Jaafari, the leader of the Shiite al-Da`wa Party, who also serves on the Interim Governing Council. AP quotes Adnan Asadi, al-Jaafari’s representative, as saying, ‘ “The aim of this criminal act is to ignite sectarian strife in the country.” ‘