Collective funeral for Iraqi children

A collective funeral on Sunday was staged in one of Baghdad's main streets for 70 Iraqis, mostly children, who died because of medicinal shortages as a result of the sanctions imposed on Iraq. AFP reported that Iraqi citizens, who crowded al-Rashid street when cars carrying the funerals passed by, raised "down with the US" banners

The UN humanitarian agencies stated that a quarter of Iraqis under five years old suffer malnutrition. According to UN reports, Iraq has only received 43% of contracted medicine to be purchased during the first phase of implementing the oil-for-food deal.

This is the second collective funeral for Iraqi children in Baghdad within a few days.

A UN official with the Oil-for-food program stated last week that the food supplies currently are inadequate for "basic human needs".