Iraq MPs call urgent meeting to halt violence Mar 29, 2008
Clashes have spread in the past two days to the southern cities of Kut, Hillah, Nassiriya, Diwaniyah, Amarah and Kerbala, as well as 13 predominantly Shiite neighbourhoods of Baghdad that have a Mehdi Army presence. On Thursday tens of thousands of Sadr supporters marched in Baghdad in a huge show of force for the cleric, demanding Mr Maliki's removal. (Sydney Morning Herald -- World)
BAGHDAD WEEKEND CURFEW IMPOSED... Mar 28, 2008
The death toll in the Shiite city of Hillah, 60 miles south of Baghdad, also rose to at least 60 in fighting that continued into Thursday, according to a senior police official who asked not to be identified because of security concerns. The U.S. military said four suspected Shiite extremists were killed in an airstrike but it had no further details. (The Drudge Report)
Militiamen Holding Out in Basra Fighting Mar 27, 2008
Clashes also broke out between Mahdi Army elements and Iraqi troops backed by U.S. helicopters in Hillah, and 19 fighters were killed, police Capt. Muthanna Khalid said. The American military said four Shiite extremists were killed in an airstrike supporting Iraqi forces. (Mattoon Journal-Gazette, IL)
Maliki gives Shi'ite militiamen 3-day ultimatum Mar 27, 2008
The unrest quickly spread to Kut, Hillah, and several neighborhoods of Baghdad, where small groups of demonstrators took to the streets and members of the Mahdi Army traded gunfire with US and Iraqi security forces and rival militias. Late yesterday, explosions could also be heard in the Shi'ite holy city of Najaf. (Boston Globe)
Fighting in Iraq threatens truce Mar 26, 2008
Police also reported fighting between Iraqi security forces and Mahdi militiamen in the Shiite cities of Hillah and Kut, which lies on a major route between Baghdad and the Iranian border. The showdown with al-Sadr has been brewing for months but has accelerated since parliament agreed in February to hold provincial elections by the fall. (Helena Independent Record, MT)
• Clashes erupt in Iraqi port Mar 26, 2008
Clashes also were reported between members of Sadr's Mahdi Army militia, which waged two major uprisings in 2004, and the Iraqi security forces in the southern cities of Kut and Hillah. Analysts warned that the fighting could spread as the Shiite factions use their influence within Iraq's security forces to weaken rivals ahead of the Oct. 1 polls. (FOX59, IN)
Iraqi forces battle for control of oil city... Mar 26, 2008
Police also reported fighting between Iraqi security forces and Mahdi militiamen in the Shiite cities of Hillah and Kut, which lies on a major route between Baghdad and the Iranian border. (AP) Followers of a radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr stage a sit in protest in the mainly Shiite. (The Drudge Report)
At least 57 dead in wave of Iraq violence Mar 25, 2008
Elsewhere, several mortars or rockets struck a U.S. base in the Shiite city of Hillah, about 60 miles south of Baghdad, Iraqi police said. The American military did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the attack. (Charles City Press, IO)
3 U.S. Soldiers Killed By Roadside Bomb Mar 23, 2008
The U.S. military officials also said insurgents had used mortars to attack a military outpost in Hillah, about 60 miles south of Baghdad, on Saturday but no casualties were reported. On Friday, U.S. and Iraqi troops clashed with Shiite gunmen in southwestern Baghdad. (WTKR.com, VA)
3 U.S. soldiers killed near Baghdad Mar 23, 2008
The U.S. military officials also said insurgents had used mortars to attack a military outpost in Hillah, about 95 kilometers (60 miles) south of Baghdad, on Saturday but no casualties were reported. On Friday, U.S. and Iraqi troops clashed with Shiite gunmen in southwestern Baghdad. (USA Today)
* Maliki promises stronger Iraqi role on world stage Mar 22, 2008
He delivered his remarks on Thursday at a cultural festival in Hillah, a mostly Shiite city about 100km south of Baghdad near the ruins of fabled Babylon, one of the great cities of the ancient world. Al-Maliki said the cultural festival was a sign that normal life was returning to Iraq, however he cut short his remarks a few moments later when the electricity failed. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World)
Unity urged on Iraq war anniversary Mar 22, 2008
"Reconstruction and the building of services and culture cannot be achieved in the shadow of economic corruption, manipulation and the placement of dishonest people in sensitive places," Nuri al-Maliki said in a speech in Hillah, capital of Babil province. "These things must be reviewed before the provincial elections." Iraq's presidential council on Wednesday signed off a measure which clears the way for a new provincial vote to be held by October 1. (Aljazeera.Net)
General Goes Shopping to Highlight Calm Mar 18, 2008
"Security is good," the man explained, pointing out that he got his chickens from Hillah, about 30 miles to the south along a highway that was prowled by bandits and killers a year ago. Lynch's stroll last week through Iskandariyah once part of the notorious "triangle of death" south of Baghdad was most noticeable for its nonchalance. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- World)
Suicide bomber targets Shi'ite pilgrims Feb 25, 2008
"All I remember is a loud roar of, `God is great,' followed by a loud blast," Talib said from a hospital bed in nearby Hillah. "The pressure was so intense that all the sounds were muted. I saw flesh fluttering like feathers in the air. . . . I fainted and didn't come to until here in the hospital.". (Boston Globe)
DoD News Briefing with Col. James from Iraq Feb 23, 2008
We also have transition teams and contingency plans that cover operations south in Karbala, Najaf and Hillah. . (DOD DefenseLINK -- News)
Death by treachery, part 2 (07/16/07) Feb 9, 2008
But the secure telephone line to the trusted Hillah police in the neighboring province, where the SUVs turned out to be headed, was down ... At 7:30 p.m., five SUVs rocketed through Iraqi army Checkpoint 21J north of the town of Mahawil, on the way to Hillah ... The insurgent convoy appeared confounded by checkpoints, roadblocks and pursuing Iraqi security forces from Hillah, whose loyalty was not in doubt. (Anchorage Daily News)
Iraq's aftershocks felt in Alabama Feb 6, 2008
The combat medic, usually posted near the Iraqi town of Hillah, says he signed up for active duty in the US army so that his family could afford decent health care. "We had gone for a couple of years without health coverage," he says, remembering his decision to join. (Aljazeera.Net)
10 most dangerous destinations Jan 18, 2008
According to Control Risks, the highest-risk areas include Baghdad and stretch from Tikrit in the north to Hillah in the south, and from Ramadi in the west to Mandali in the east. IJet has ranked as a five, noting prolonged civil unrest, a poor economy, financial risks for foreign companies and a failing government. (MSNBC -- Travel)
Fact Sheet: Helping Iraq Achieve Economic and Political Stabilization Jan 9, 2008
Angus T. Simmons, Team Leader, PRTs Najaf, Karbala, and Diwaniyah, Regional Embassy Office Al Hillah ... The Najaf, Karbala, and Diwaniyah PRTs are headed by a single team leader and based out of the Regional Embassy Office in Al-Hillah. (White House News Releases)
Iraq's middle class is languishing Jan 6, 2008
"I feel this job doesn't suit my dignity or personality, being a guard in a clinic, passing the night between four walls talking to nobody," said Mohammed, who lives in Hillah, a city about 60 miles south of Baghdad. "I think it is difficult to find the job I would like in Iraq, under the current circumstances. I wish I could leave Iraq, but it is not that easy.". (Los Angeles Times)
Iraq train accident kills couple, 11 kids Dec 25, 2007
The cargo train struck the van as it crossed an intersection near the town of Hillah, about 60 miles south of Baghdad, said a police spokesman, who requested anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media. Zuhair al-Khafaji, an emergency room doctor at Hillah general hospital, confirmed the deaths. (MSNBC -- International)
Baghdad bombing kills 2 amid relative peace in Iraqi capital Dec 25, 2007
Also Monday, a train struck a minivan at an intersection near the town of Hillah, about 60 miles south of Baghdad, killing a couple and 11 children, officials said. Zuhair al-Khafaji, an emergency room doctor at Hillah general hospital, said some of the children were the couple's and others were their nieces and nephews. (WSVN-TV Miami, FL)
Oliver North: Baghdad Rebuilt, Despite Media Scrutiny Dec 14, 2007
Hillah, Iraq The slogan de oppresso liber is Latin for free the oppressed ... The day we arrived in Hillah, an improvised explosive device killed Lt. Gen. Qais Hamza al-Mamouri, the Babil Province Chief of Police and the architect of the Reconciliation Movement in southeastern Iraq ... Less than 24 hours after Gen.Qais was killed, our FOX News team went to the Headquarters of the Hillah SWAT Police to meet with their commander, Brigadier General Mohammad Abbas al-Jubori, a Qais prot. (Fox News)
The New Iraq - Part III Dec 14, 2007
HILLAH, Iraq -- The slogan "de oppresso liber" is Latin for "free the oppressed." It's the motto of the U.S. Special Forces, but it also has been adopted by several of the Iraqi military and police units our FOX News "War Stories" team has been covering here in the land between the rivers ... The day we arrived in Hillah, an improvised explosive device killed Lt. Gen. Qais Hamza al-Mamouri, the Babil province chief of police and the architect of the reconciliation movement in southeastern Iraq... (Townhall.com)
The New Iraq Dec 14, 2007
Hillah, Iraq -- The slogan de oppresso liber is Latin for free the oppressed ... The day we arrived in Hillah, an improvised explosive device killed Lieutenant General Qais Hamza al-Mamouri, the Babil Province Chief of Police and the architect of the Reconciliation Movement in southeastern Iraq ... Less than 24 hours after General Qais was killed, our FOX News team went to the Headquarters of the Hillah SWAT Police to meet with their commander, Brigadier General Mohammad Abbas al-Jubori, a Qais... (Human Events Online)
Attacks target interior ministry jail and oil refinery Dec 11, 2007
The arrests came a day after Major General Qais al-Maamouri and two of his bodyguards were killed in Hillah, capital of the predominantly Shi'ite Muslim province, after a bomb hit his convoy. The suspects, police said, were found to have significant traces of explosives on their bodies. (Boston Globe)
Mortar shells hit Iraq prison, killing 5 Dec 11, 2007
Gen. Qais al-Maamouri, the police chief of Babil's provincial capital of Hillah, chanting and firing guns into the air. At least two Islamic militant Web sites on Monday called al-Maamouri a brutal, anti-militant figure and broadcast old audio clips of the slain al-Qaida in Iraq leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi describing him as "God's enemy.". (MSNBC -- International)
Crackdown planned Dec 10, 2007
Gen. Qais al-Maamouri, the police chief of Babil's provincial capital of Hillah, was the latest in a series of assassinations against provincial leaders in the mainly Shiite region. Al-Maamouri was politically independent and had a reputation for leading crackdowns against militia fighters and resisting pressure from religious and political groups to release favored members. (Boulder Colorado Daily, CO)
Friendship of Marine and Iraqi born of war Dec 2, 2007
MARBLEHEAD - On April 9, 2003, after Saddam Hussein's statue fell in Baghdad's Firdos Square, 22-year-old university student Mohammed Harba joined a cheering throng in the streets of Hillah, his hometown ... Harba comes from a prosperous family in the Hillah-Babylon region of south central Iraq, a predominantly Shi'ite community of half a million ... "Around Hillah, local shopkeepers refused our money, people asked for autographs and photos, and I even received a little fan mail through the... (Boston Globe)
Attacks kill 20, including 3 U.S. soldiers Nov 19, 2007
Police in Hillah, south of Baghdad, reported today that a 10-year-old girl was killed Saturday night by unknown gunmen in a nearby village. Four unidentified homicide victims were found in the capital Sunday. (Los Angeles Times)
Iraq: Female U.S. Soldier Killed Nov 4, 2007
Then at 8 a.m., police said gunmen killed a plainclothes officer in a civilian car in central Hillah, 60 miles south of Baghdad. Farther south in Basra, Iraq's second-largest city, Police Chief Maj. (Newsmax)
Two killed, one wounded in Iraq attacks Nov 3, 2007
Then an hour later, police said gunmen killed a plain clothes officer in a civilian car in central Hillah, 95 kilometres south of Baghdad. 2007. (Sydney Morning Herald -- World)
Aide: Sadr could lift cease-fire amid anger over U.S. raids Oct 27, 2007
The military said U.S. paratroopers conducting combat operations Friday in the southern Shiite city of Hillah found a cache of weapons, including 27 Iranian-made 107mm rockets and two launch systems, each capable of firing 20 rockets at once. The military has announced a series of such finds in recent days as it seeks to bolster its claim of Iranian support for rogue Shiite fighters. (AZCentral -- News)
US, Iraqi forces round up dozens of suspected Shi'ite fighters Oct 21, 2007
To the north of Diwaniyah, police broke into the house of a leading Al Qaeda member in a village near Hillah. They captured Raed al-Alwani, who was wanted in the slayings of more than 100 Iraqis, according to a police officer in the region. (Boston Globe -- World)
US, Iraqi Forces Detain Militia Fighters Oct 21, 2007
To the north of Diwaniyah, police broke into the house of a leading al-Qaida member in a village near Hillah. They captured Raed al-Alwani, who was wanted in the slayings of more than 100 Iraqis, according to a police officer in the region who spoke on condition of anonymity because he not authorized to release the information. (Los Angeles Times)
Roadside Bomb Kills 3 Shiites in Iraq Oct 20, 2007
The minibus was traveling the main highway from Baghdad to the predominantly Shiite southern city of Hillah when it was struck by the explosion around 6:30 a.m. in Iskandariyah, 30 miles from the capital. related stories. (ABC 7 News, DC)
* Soldiers struggle to tell friend from foe in Iraq Oct 9, 2007
After the Abu Lukah shooting, the North of Hillah Awakening Council staged a three-day strike to register its anger over the loss of three of its members, but guards resumed their posts on Sunday. "Such acts will create a gap between us and the Americans. We are trying to restore security in the area while the Americans are killing us," Nabil Saleh, 37, said as he stood with his AK-47 slung over his shoulder at his post in Abu Lukah. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World)
Iraqis tell of guards' reckless behavior Oct 8, 2007
template_bastemplate_bas Residents of Hillah await answers and justice in the slayings of two men ... Nearly two months after the Aug. 13 shooting in Hillah, 60 miles south of Baghdad, nobody has been held accountable for Rabee's death ... Hillah residents held a protest outside the office of an American nongovernmental agency known to use Blackwater guards, waving banners and demanding Blackwater be brought to justice. (Los Angeles Times)
'US pays Iraqi warlords for loyalty' Oct 8, 2007
Giving the example of Gen Qais Hamza Aboud, the local police chief in the mostly Shiite city of Hillah, about 85 km south of Baghdad, the magazine says, a former fighter pilot in Saddam's Air Force, Qais is now probably the most powerful individual in Babil province -- more influential than either the governor or local Iraqi Army commanders. Related Stories. (India Times, India)
Shiite Militia Leader in Iraq Nabbed in Raid Oct 7, 2007
But a local police spokesman said those killed were Shiite members of the North of Hillah Awakening Council, a group of Iraqis who have turned against extremists in the area. Those killed were three members of the council who were guarding a deserted road leading to their village, the spokesman said, declining to be identified because he was not authorized to release the information. (Fox News)
DoD News Briefing with Col. Kershaw from the Pentagon, Arlington, Va. Oct 6, 2007
The Hillah highway, which runs from Baghdad through th 00004000 e city of Mahmudiyah, is the major transit route from the city to the Shi'a holy cities predominantly in the south, making the eastern part of our sector really key terrain for the Shi'a in this country. Over the first several years, there was really little or no permanent coalition presence in these areas as units moved through en route to Baghdad or up to points north or west as part of our campaign in this country. (DOD DefenseLINK -- News)
House Democrats condemn Blackwater conduct Oct 3, 2007
Stephen Lynch, D-Mass, asked Satterfield whether the State Department conducted an investigation of a June 25, 2005, incident in which a Blackwater employee killed an Iraqi civilian in al Hillah. "We will get back to you with the full details of that incident and the investigatory follow-up," Satterfield said. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- World)
Blackwater gets a united defense Oct 3, 2007
Committee Democrats accused Blackwater of attempting to cover up misconduct by its guards, pointing to a June 2005 incident in Hillah in which a contractor failed to report an improper shooting and asked fellow guards not to discuss it. Prince responded that the guards who hid evidence in the incident were fired and said the company then promptly reported the incident to the U.S. Embassy. (Los Angeles Times)
U.S. did little to restrict guards in Iraq Oct 2, 2007
The State Department and Blackwater agreed that the company should pay $15,000 to the relatives of a guard for Iraq's vice president who was killed by a drunken Blackwater employee on Christmas Eve 2006, and $5,000 to the family of an "apparently innocent bystander" killed in Hillah in 2005, the report said. The employees were not named in the report. (USA Today)
Diplomatic convoys curtailed in Iraq Sep 19, 2007
It was moving very slowly. They shot against the couple and their child. (The Miami Herald)
Sheik's Murder Raises Ire Sep 16, 2007
Farther south in the city of Hillah, gunmen attacked the home of Col. Hussein Ali Hassoon al Khafaji, an Iraqi army battalion commander, killing a guard and wounding another, police said. In a helicopter assault mission west of Baghdad, three suspected insurgents were killed and three American soldiers were injured, the U.S. command said. (CBS News -- Iraq)
Iraq official warns there are no 'magical solutions' to woes Aug 31, 2007
Despite the order, gunmen set fire to at least three Supreme Council offices yesterday, one near Nasiriyah and two near Hillah, according to police. The attacks caused no casualties and it was unclear whether Sadr's followers were responsible. (Boston Globe -- World)
Iraqi Official: No `magical' Fix Ahead Aug 31, 2007
Despite the order, gunmen set fire to at least three Supreme Council offices Thursday - one near Nasiriyah and two near Hillah - according to police. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not supposed to release the information. (Forbes)
At least 50 killed as Shi'ite militias clash Aug 29, 2007
Iraqi authorities ordered a curfew for the besieged city 50 miles south of Baghdad as well as for Najaf and Hillah, other Badr strongholds on the route back to Baghdad, and sent buses to begin evacuating pilgrims. The Pentagon has sent nearly 30,000 additional US troops to Iraq over the past six months, but civilian deaths from sectarian fighting, assassinations, and militia power struggles have continued. (Boston Globe -- World)
Shiite militias clash in Iraq, killing 50 Aug 29, 2007
Iraqi authorities ordered a curfew for the besieged city 50 miles south of Baghdad as well as for Najaf and Hillah, other Badr strongholds in the region, and sent buses to begin evacuating pilgrims. "I am stuck in Karbala near the governorate building where I'm hearing a heavy exchange of gunfire," a pilgrim from Najaf, who did not want to be identified, said by cellphone from where he was taking cover about 200 yards from the Imam Hussein shrine. (Los Angeles Times)
Iraq's prime minister lashes out at critics Aug 27, 2007
There were at least two more attacks as the crowd passed through the city of Hillah en route to Karbala ... Times staff writer Greg Miller in Washington and special correspondents in Baghdad, Hillah and Samarra contributed to this report. (Los Angeles Times)
Departure raises pressure on Maliki Aug 26, 2007
Times staff writers Richard Serrano in Washington, Saif Rasheed and Wail Alhafith in Baghdad, and special correspondent Maha Khateeb in Hillah contributed to this report. Medically 'incompatible with life. (Los Angeles Times)
Bush and U.S. ambassador extend faint praise for Maliki Aug 22, 2007
Times staff writer Carol J. Williams in Baghdad and special correspondent Maha Khateeb in Hillah, Iraq, contributed to this report. A breakthrough in memory research doesn't pass peer review. (Los Angeles Times)
List: Some of the deadliest attacks in Iraq since the war began Aug 16, 2007
-March 6: Two suicide bombers blow themselves up in Hillah, about 60 miles south of Baghdad, killing 93 people in a crowd of Shiite pilgrims ... 28, 2005: A suicide car bomber targets mostly Shiite police and national guard recruits in Hillah, killing 125 people. (International Herald Tribune)
Sect targeted in biggest Iraq bombing Aug 16, 2007
Feb 2005, A suicide car bomb attack in Hillah kills 125 ... March 6, Two bombers hit Hillah, killing 105 pilgrims. (Sydney Morning Herald -- World)
Troop surge in Iraq strikes at militants Aug 14, 2007
Authorities said at least six civilians died in the air and ground attacks, including a man in Hillah who was shot in the chest after he approached a US convoy. Lynch said the drive against militants was doing more than simply moving them from one refuge to another, as some previous operations did. (Boston Globe)
U.S.-led raids net weapons, suspects Aug 14, 2007
Authorities said at least six civilians died in the air and ground attacks, including a man in Hillah who was shot in the chest after he approached a U.S. convoy. Despite the U.S.-led crackdown, sectarian attacks continued. (Los Angeles Times)
Shiite Pilgrims Converge on Baghdad Aug 9, 2007
Authorities also imposed an indefinite vehicle ban in the Shiite city of Hillah, south of Baghdad, which has been hit by some of the war's deadliest bombings. Sunnis in Baghdad, meanwhile, expressed frustration over the three-day driving ban that began Wednesday as the Shiite-led government sought to protect the pilgrims from attacks. (Longview Daily News, WA)
Soccer victory gives Iraqis a rare cause for joy Jul 30, 2007
In Hillah, a Shiite town south of Baghdad, the Babel provincial authorities imposed a curfew from 2 p.m. until further notice. Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki's office said it had tried to arrange a special plane to fly a delegation of journalists, fans and officials from the Prime Minster's office to Jakarta, "but difficulties of technical conditions related to air flight clearances and transits in the countries concerned, prevented us from achieving this flight.". (International Herald Tribune)
U.S.: Iran Improving Iraqi Insurgents' Aim Jul 27, 2007
South of Baghdad, a police patrol south was struck by a roadside bomb, killing five officers and wounding two as they were on their way home to Hillah from an operation with U.S. forces in Diwaniyah, police said. A former aide to Iraq's top Shiite cleric also was killed in a drive-by shooting in the holy city of Najaf south of Baghdad, security officials said. (Fox News)
Insurgents' aim getting better Jul 27, 2007
South of Baghdad, a police patrol south was struck by a roadside bomb, killing five officers and wounding two as they were heading home to Hillah from an operation with U.S. forces in Diwaniyah, police said. A U.S. soldier was killed Wednesday during a gunbattle in Baghdad, the military said. (Boulder Colorado Daily, CO)
U.S. Commander: Troop Deaths Decreasing Jul 26, 2007
A roadside bomb struck a police patrol on the road between Hillah and Diwaniyah Thursday, killing five officers and wounding two as they were on their way home from an operation with U.S. forces, police said. Diwaniyah, 80 miles south of Baghdad, has been the site of heavy clashes between U.S.-Iraqi security forces and Shiite militia fighters. (CBS News -- Iraq)
Bomber kills 24 in Iraq Shiite city Jul 25, 2007
Hillah town center packed with shoppers and people going to work ... The explosion occurred at 9 a.m. in Hillah, according to provincial police, who said the driver of the tow truck detonated his payload in the middle of the Bab al-Mashhad district ... Most of the 24 killed and 69 wounded in the blast suffered serious burns, said Ayad Abdul-Zahra of the Hillah general hospital. (MSNBC -- International)
US chides Iran for role in Iraq fight Jul 25, 2007
South of Baghdad, a suicide tow-truck driver killed at least 24 people with a huge bomb in the Shiite city of Hillah. Police and morgue officials said 58 people, including the Hillah victims, had been killed or found dead nationwide. (Philadelphia Daily News)
US challenges nation over alleged aid to Iraqi militias Jul 25, 2007
The bomb detonated in front of a maternity hospital in Hillah, a mainly Shiite town about 60 miles south of Baghdad. There was relatively little violence in Baghdad. (Houston Chronicle)
