Scores killed in mortars attacks in the center of Baghdad; threats to enter holy site
Seven Iraqis were killed and other 40 injured when mortars shelling fell near the headquarters of the police in al-Rasheed street in the downtown of Baghdad yesterday. The explosion resulted in a violent explosion in Baghdad and smoke columns were seen in the skies while two helicopters were seen over the place.
The explosion resulted in destroying one building and burning several cars and a spokesman for the Iraqi police expected that the site was targeted because of the existence of Bab al- Mu'azzam police center in the area. A source in the police said that the shelling was from the west bank of the Tigris.
Meantime, fighting renewed between the supporters of the Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sader and the American forces backed by the Iraqi national guards members.
News reports said that the clashes took place in the old quarters near Imam Ali shrine in the downtown of the city where fighters of al-Mahdi army are fortifying.
The commander of the Iraqi forces in Najaf city yesterday threatened to break into Imam Ali tomb if the militias of al-Mahdi army refuse to withdraw from it.
The fighting renewed when a delegation representing the Iraqi national congress headed to Najaf city to negotiate with al-Sader. Muqtada al-Sader welcomed the proposal made by the Vatican's Pope John Paul II to mediate for solving the crisis in Najaf.
Members of al-Mahdi army attacked two vehicles for the British forces in the downtown of Basra and three Italian soldiers were injured yesterday in an attack by shelling targeted their patrol in al-Nasereyah city.
In this context, the Iraqi police started the campaign to re- arrest 230 prisoners that al-Mahdi army soldiers released last week.
Meantime, an official source in the Iraqi police said that the American forces backed by Iraqi forces detained yesterday detained yesterday Lt. Gen. Rabee Suheil, the director of the former Iraqi former intelligence chief Taher Jalil Habboush al-Takriti.
Taher Habboush al-Takrity carries number 16 on the list of wanted persons by Washington and is still out of prison.