Al-Zarqawi claims responsibility for Baghdad, Baqouba operations, Iraq is without electricity
Iraq, Military, 9/15/2004

Some 74 Iraqis were killed in Iraq yesterday while other 154 were injured, most of them are victims of a booby trapped car explosion in Baghdad and an attack in Baqouba, Abu Mus'ab al-Zarqawi claimed responsibility for, fighting in al-Ramadi between the resistance forces and the American occupation forces from which three soldiers were killed and other seven injured, at a time the blowing up of a pipeline in the north resulted in halting exports to Turkey and the cutting of electricity from all Iraq.

The Iraqi ministry of health said that 47 persons were killed and 114 wounded in a booby trapped explosion which was stationed in Haifa street at the main entrance for al-Karakh police complex, near shops including a cafe crowded with clients at the moment of the explosion.

The explosion, which targeted scores of young Iraqis who were gathering to apply for joining the security forces, resulted in destroying the area surrounding the police headquarters, including 15 trade shops and seven cars. However, the police building was only slightly damaged, and many of the victims were civilians while shopping in the market.

Many persons hurried to the site of the explosion to identify relatives among the victims at a time when ambulances were transporting the wounded. A spontaneous demonstration of young men took the streets chanted slogans against the US President George W. Bush and the Iraqi prime minister Eyad Allawi.

The Iraqi minister of the interior Fallah al-Naqib said upon visiting the site of the explosion " there are well conducted operations to kill civilians in Iraq and undermine Iraq's interests," adding that " Arab, non- Iraqi groups are most expectedly behind these operations."

Three hours after Baghdad's explosion, a small bus carrying members of the Iraqi police was exposed to fire in the downtown of Baqouba and this resulted in killing 13 persons. They are 12 police men and the driver of the bus. The Iraqi police said that the majority of the killed are Kurds." The American army said that the killed men were from the criminal investigation department in the Iraqi police, noting that 14 gunmen carried out the attack.

"Al-Tawhid Wal Jihad" group led by Abu Musab al- Zarqawi claimed responsibility for Baghdad and Baqouba attacks. A statement issued on a website carrying the signiture of " the military wing in al-Tawhid Wal-Jihad group" said that one " hero succeeded in attacking a center for volunteers for Iraqi police." One and a half hours after the two operations of Baghdad and Baqouba, one Iraqi was killed and another injured in a booby trapped car explosion in al-Joumhoreyah street, one of the main streets in Baghdad. The Iraqi police said that one suicider was also killed in attack which seemed to target a caravan of foreign civilian cars. One official in the Iraqi ministry of health said that " three persons were killed in other attacks in the capital and other 15 were injured." The Iraqi ministry of health also said that two Iraqis were seriously injured in one explosion near the Iraqi ministry of health in the downtown of Baghdad, coincided with the blowing up of al-Karakh police headquarters.

Meantime, the Iraqi ministry of health said that 10 persons were killed and other 22 injured yesterday in confrontations between the American occupation army and Iraqi resistance men in al-Ramadi.

Witnesses said that the fighting concentrated near the headquarters of al-Anbar governorate headquarters, noting that these fighting started when resistance men opened fire at American tanks trying to enter the city from the western side. They added that one American armored vehicle was at least destroyed in the confrontations.

Meantime, the American army yesterday lifted the embargo imposed on Tell Afar city where the American attacks resulted in killing and wounding hundreds during the few past days.

The American army announced on Monday that two of its soldiers were killed and other three injured on Sunday in a bomb explosion in Baghdad. It added in a statement that one American soldier was killed and other five injured when their patrol was attacked on Monday in Musil.

Previous Stories:
  Two Australians kidnapped, two Asians, one Turkish was beheaded, Rome asks help to release its citizens   (9/14/2004)
  18 Iraqis were killed in Falluja, Allawi removes al-Rubei   (9/14/2004)
  Al-Haidari courtyard to be opened for visitors next week   (9/14/2004)
  Scores of Iraqis were killed, threats to behead the Italian hostages   (9/13/2004)
  Three polish soldiers killed in Iraq   (9/13/2004)
  Some 45 Iraqis killed in the American campaign in Tel Afer, Falluja   (9/10/2004)

Please add a link on your webiste pointing to ArabicNews.com and bookmark ArabicNews.com & subscribe to our daily email news bulletin.

Search