European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 25, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 6 stars and stripes wednesday april 25 2007 truck bombs hit us outpost killing 9 gis by Zeke Minaya and Joseph Giordono stars and stripes an Alzaida looked group claimed responsibility tuesday for a double suicide truck bomb ing that killed nine us paratroop ers in the worst attack on Ameri can ground forces in Iraq in More than a year saying it sent two knights for the attack the associated press reported late tues Day according a the islamic state of Iraq an umbrella group of sunni militants that includes Al Aida in Iraq said it was behind mondays double at tack on a us patrol base in Diya la province Northeast of Baghdad an area that has seen violence Spike since american troops surged into Baghdad to halt Vio Lence there the explosion took place Mon Day afternoon at a patrol base one of several smaller outposts recently established according to the 2monthold Security strategy with the much examined crackdown in Baghdad sending displaced insurgents North to Day Ala elements of the surge have followed officials have said according to the los Angeles times us forces recently have opened about seven smaller out posts in and around bad Cuba the provincial seat of Dyala us commanders have acknowledged that the smaller outposts present More dangers for us troops but say the benefits of being closer to the iraqi population Are More important you have to position your sol Diers Forward it col Michael Donnelly spokesman for multinational which has responsibility for bad Cuba said tuesday by phone Donnelly said the loss of the nine task Force lightning sol Diers has been hard we Are going through a Tough time he said our deepest Heartfelt prayers Are with the fam Ilies and we offer our sincere condolences of the wounded 15 soldiers re turned to Active duty while the remaining five along with an iraqi interpreter were evacuated for further medical treatment according to military officials for the troops stationed in Northern Iraq Dyala Long has been the sore spot of the Region while other parts of the operating area have for the most part been relatively peaceful compared to the rest of the country Ayala just North of Baghdad has More in common with the violence found in the capital according to the Brookings institutions Iraq Index a statistical tally of the violence in Iraq Diya la trails Only Baghdad and Anbar province in the number of civilian deaths and since the Security push in Baghdad attacks against us troops in Dyala have in creased Donnelly said that any increase in attacks in Dyala was related to the greater presence of troops among iraqis if s a matter of physics the More matter you put into a con fined space the More Likely they Are going to collide he said on tuesday an official with the 82nd airborne division at fort Bragg no said the soldiers killed in the attack were All from that division it is the worst single combat loss suffered by the 82nd Khalid residents of sunni Muslim enclave of Adham Yah protest against the building of a 3mile Long Concrete Wall that the us military announced last week 15 die at ramada by Hamid Ahmed the associated press Baghdad said tues Day that a suicide bomber driving a fuel Tanker truck exploded at a police checkpoint on the outskirts of ramada killing 15 people and wounding about 25 the City is the capital of Iraq Western Anbar province and its police and soldiers Are frequent targets of attacks by insurgents who accuse them of being traitors for collaborating with the us and Iraq democratically elected government american troops Are facing in creasing danger As they step up their presence in outposts and police stations in Baghdad and areas surrounding the City As part of the Security crackdown to which president Bush has committed an extra 30000 troops sunni militants Are believed to have withdrawn to surrounding areas such As Dyala where they have Safe Haven the us com Mand also deployed an extra 700 soldiers to the province last month a British Soldier was also shot to death while on patrol in the Southern City of Basra officials said in Baghdad two bombs went off outside the iranian embassy on tuesday for the second consecutive Day six civilians were injured police said tension has risen Over allegation by the us and some sunni politicians in Iraq about alleged iranian inter Ference in the country meanwhile British forces transferred another military base to iraqi troops in Basra in the coun try South ahead of the planned withdrawal this summer of about half of Britain contribution to the used coalition Here two other British bases Alsace and Shatt turned Over to iraqi forces in Basra Iraq Sec on largest City in the past month the bulk of Britain about 7500 soldiers in the City will now operate from a base at Basra main Airport ta1al m Aldeana a us Soldier stands guard at the scene of a car bomb attack in bad Cuba 35 mites Northeast of Baghdad on monday airborne since the War began maj Tom Earnhardt told the associated press the attack on the us outpost came on the same Day a car bomb struck an iraqi police checkpoint near the Dyala province Council Headquarters killing seven police and wounding 13 others the provincial Council who was meeting to discuss the 2007 provincial budget continued their meeting despite the attack us army col David w Suther land3rd brigade combat team 1st cavalry division commander and senior us army officer in Dyala was quoted As saying the Council members refuse to be intimidated or swayed by this attack realizing Security and stability for the people is necessary the associated press contributed to this report email Zeke Minay Aasc email Joseph Giordono acc us deaths in Iraq the associated press As of monday at least of Nii livery have died since flies beginning of the Iraq War in March 2003 Accord ing to an associated press count the figure includes seven Mili tary civilians at least 2693 died As a result of hostile action according to the military numbers the a count is 10 higher than the defense departments tally last updated monday at 10 Ament the British military has reported 144 deaths Italy 33 Ukraine 18 Poland 20 Bulgaria 13 Spain 11 Denmark six Al Salvador five Slovakia four Latvia three Estonia Netherlands and Thailand two each and Australia Hungary Kazakhstan and Romania one death each the latest deaths reported by the military Al a Soldier was killed monday by an explosive in mud Aliyah the latest identifications reported by the military b Marine Lance Cpl Jeffery a Bishop 23 Dickson Tenn died Friday during combat in Anbar province assigned to 3rd battalion 6thmarine regiment 2nd Marine division n Marine expeditionary Force Camp Lejeune no b army chief warrant officer Dwayne l Moore 31 Williams Burg a died thursday during combat in Mahmud Yah As signed Tofee 2nd artillery regiment 2nd brigade combat team10th Mountain division for drum by Al two army soldiers died wednesday in Taji when an explosive detonated near their vehicle they were identified As Cpl Wade qglesby 27 Brand Junction Coto and Cpl Michael m Rojas 2t5resno Calif were assigned to the is battalion 37tfi  regiment 3rd brigade 2nd infantry Divi Lewis Wash m army pvt Michael j Scott depot died sat urday in Taji when his vehicle overturned assigned to the4q7tfa brigade support battalion 2nd brigade combat team 82nd air Home division fort Braggs no army pfc Christopher m North 21 Sarasota Fia killed saturday in Baghdad by an explosive and Small arms fire As signed to the 1st Squadron 4th cavalry regiment 4th infantry brigade combat team 1st infantry division fort Riley Kan b army sgt William w Bushnell 24 Jasper Ark died Satur Day in Baghdad when his vehicle was struck by a rocket pro pulled grenade assigned to the 2nd battalion 12th cavalry regi ment 4th brigade combat team 1st cavalry division fort Buss Texas b army staff sgt Marlon b Harper 34 Baltimore killed sat urday in Baghdad by a rocket propelled grenade and Small arms fire assigned to the 1st battalion 8th cavalry regiment 2nd Bri Gade combat team 1st cavalry division fort Hood Texas