12 Iraqis killed in Hella, Balad's victims increased to 100

With the approaching date for the referendum on the Iraqi draft constitution due in mid October, the wave of bloody explosions escalated in various parts of Iraq causing more death in the lines of Iraqis and the American forces.

In the most recent of these attacks, at least 12 Iraqis were killed and other 47 injured in a booby trapped car explosion in a market in the center of Hella, south of Baghdad, on Friday morning. Iraqi police sources said that the blowing up of the car took place at the al-Ammar grocery market.

Earlier in the Morning on Friday, four members of the Iraqi police were killed and another injured in an ambush implanted by gunmen for a police vehicle in Basra city, south Iraq.

The number of the victims of explosions in Balad city, north Baghdad, on Thursday evening, increased to 99 including 22 children and 35 women while other 124 persons were injured. These attacks were carried out simultaneously by three booby trapped cars. Other 13 Iraqis were killed in various attacks in Baghdad on Thursday.

The wave of explosions in Iraq has escalated during the past five days leaving behind 200 killed persons including 13 American soldiers, of which the American forces in Ramadi announced the killing of 5 of them.

On the other hand, the Muslim Scholars Commission in Falluja said that the American forces detained on Friday at dawn a 20-year old girl after they had arrested her father and brother two months ago. In a statement, the commission called on the American forces to release the girl immediately and called on the people of Falluja to hold a massive demonstration following Friday's prayers to deplore these acts.

Regarding these developments, top officials in the Pentagon expected the coming days as crucial in Iraq during the coming weeks and months even if the constitution is approved.