Updated at 1:00 a.m. EST, Dec. 5, 2007

At least 47 Iraqis were killed or found dead and 51 more were wounded. Kidnappers holding five Britons are threatening to kill one of them in 10 days unless British troops withdraw from Iraq. Also, congressional investigators from the U.S. have noted that ongoing violence in Iraq continues to overwhelm the security handover effort. And, one U.S. soldier was killed and two were wounded yesterday during an explosion in Anbar province.

A suicide bomber killed eight people and wounded at least 30 at a police station in Jalawla. Among the dead were civilians, policemen and Kurdish troops.

Eleven more corpses were found at a site near Lake Tharthar, bringing the two day total up to 23 bodies.

In Baghdad, an IED explosion wounded two people in Karrada. Another two were wounded in New Baghdad during a separate explosion. One guard was killed and another was wounded when gunmen opened fire at the Zayouna home of the electricity minister. Also, six dumped bodies were found.

A headless corpse was discovered in Mosul. At least two other bodies were also found. A roadside bomb killed one policeman and wounded three others. A separate IED left one Iraqi soldier dead. Also, the airport opened to commercial traffic for the first time in 14 years. In 1993, the U.S. military had declared the city a no-fly zone.

An intelligence officer was killed in front of his home in Najaf.

Police in Basra captured five gang members. Also, the police chief noted that 40 women have been killed over the last five months for participating in un-Islamic behavior such as wearing make-up.

Gunmen attacked al-Zherat, killing one civilian and wounding four others.

Eight people were wounded when mortars rocked al-Salam.

In Tuz Khormato, a security officer was killed and his brother was injured when gunmen attacked them in the officer’s vehicle.

Two bodies were found in Mahaweel.

Eight gunmen were killed and 14 more were detained during security operations in various locations. U.S. forces killed two suspects and captured 25 more.

In Turkey, one Turkish soldier and six Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) rebels were killed during clashes.

Compiled by Margaret Griffis