A hotel used by foreign contractors and journalists in the northern city of Kirkuk was attacked by militants on 24 November. A grenade was thrown towards the entrance of the Kirkuk Palace Hotel, injuring at least two guards, hotel staff said. The blast shattered windows and damaged the entrance to the hotel, which is located about 100 metres from a police station, reported AP.

Tokyo asked the US-led coalition to increase security at its embassy in Baghdad following a gunbattle near the embassy in mid November, announced a Japanese official in Tokyo. Japanese officials said that they have received fresh threats against the embassy linked to the possible deployment of troops to support the US-led coalition.