The Iraqi swamp continues to claim its victims. Ten American Marines were killed in the past two days, turning May into the deadliest month since November 2004. Notwithstanding the controversial addition of 21,000 American troops in April, 114 American soldiers were killed this month. So far the American army has lost 3,465 troops since the beginning of the war in Iraq four years ago.
Meanwhile, at least 50 Iraqi civilians were killed on Tuesday following an attack on a Shi’ite mosque in Baghdad. At least 70 more Iraqis were killed on Tuesday in terror attacks, of whom 38 lost their lives when two car bombs exploded in Baghdad. A terror attack on Monday completely destroyed another mosque in the capital city, where the grave of Sheikh ‘Abd Al-Qadir Al-Kilani – a revered religious authority – was located.
Also in Baghdad, five British civilians were kidnapped on Tuesday from an Iraqi Finance Ministry office by gunmen in police uniforms. More than 200 foreigners and thousands of Iraqis have been kidnapped in Iraq since the war broke out. While most foreigners were released soon after their kidnap, at least 60 have been murdered.