Bremer stresses risks hindering authority transfer; 18 Italians killed and several Iraqis in Nasereyah attack
Some 18 Italians were killed and several Iraqis in an attack in Nasereyah. The number of victims of the booby trapped car attack against the headquarters if the Italian forces in Nasereyah, to the south of Iraq, increased to 18 persons of whom 15 were soldiers. This is the greatest loss inflicted in the lines of the Italian army since the second world war.
Witnesses said that the attack resulted in killing at least 30 Iraqis and wounding scores more. Sources in the Iraqi police announced that two persons riding a fuel tank truck carried out the blowing up operation which targeted the Italian base.
The sources said that the explosion took place at the entrance of the leadership's headquarters and had almost destroyed the building. Witnesses also talked about the blowing up of a warehouse for ammunition as a result of the attack against the headquarters.
The Italian defense minister accused fighters associates to the toppled Iraqi President Saddam Hussein of carrying out the attack.
The US President George W. Bush commended the stand taken by the Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi who refused to withdraw his forces from Iraq following the attack, stressing that by this stand he "rejects retreat before terrorism."
Italy's prime minister Silvio Berlusconi urged the Italian people and their political leaders to abide by the unity of ranks after the explosion. In a speech before the Italian senate Berlusconi called for solidarity with the Italian forces which he said "are on a mission to defend democratic values." The Italian prime minister announced that the explosion will not scare his country and his forces will continue to be in Iraq. This was his answer to the demands of the opposition to withdraw the Italian forces.
Meantime, news reports in Baghdad said that several explosions took place yesterday in the outskirts of Baghdad.
In another development, the US forces killed five Iraqis and wounded other four on Tuesday evening at the entrance of al-Falouja city to the west of Baghdad.
Impressions are that the resistance attacks forced the American forces to transfer some of its authorities to the Iraqi police which started in Tikrit its first mission carried out independently without direct support from the occupation forces.
Some 400 Iraqi trained police officers carried out a mopping up operation in search for weapons and explosives and members suspected to have had taken part in the recent attacks including the downing of an American helicopter last week.
On the other hand, the US administrator of Iraq Paul Bremer announced that the war against what he called terrorism is continuous and that there are real dangers which obstruct the establishment of a sovereign Iraqi government.
Bremer added yesterday after his meeting with the Bush in the White House that those who he described as terrorists are determined to deprive the Iraqis from having sovereignty on their country. He explained that the Interim Iraqi Council should issue their decision by themselves concerning the timing for debating a new constitution and organizing elections.