Victory!

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A wave of attacks in Baghdad and areas north of the capital Sunday shattered a relative lull in violence, killing 16 people and injuring 15 a day after Prime Minister Nouri al-Malikideclared that Iraq’sgovernment had defeated terrorism. …

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The action coincided with Maliki’s visit to the Emirates, which had withdrawn its ambassador to Iraq after the U.S.-led invasion in 2003, following the kidnapping of one of its diplomats, who was later released. Maliki again stressed that Iraq was becoming more stable.

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“Our hopes were restricted on improving the security situation, and thank God we succeed in spreading security and direct strong blows to the al-Qaedaand lawbreakers,” Maliki told senior officials in the Emirates.