Yrys
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Bomb Near Baghdad Police Station Kills 18 People Published: December 17, 2008
I've found a report of that attack only in the N.Y. Times
BAGHDAD — A bomb planted in a minibus exploded near a parking lot
of the Iraqi traffic police in a market neighborhood of northeastern
Baghdad on Wednesday, killing at least 18 people and injuring 52,
Ministry of Interior and police officials said.
The attack, in a small market of barbershops and butchers, happened
in stages, according to the police. A small blast drew people from their
homes, and then the minibus exploded. The attack appeared to target
an Iraqi traffic police station nearby. At least three of those killed were
Iraqi police officers.
There were no immediate claims of responsibility for the bombing, which
was in the Nahdha neighborhood. However, the pace of violence in Iraq
has picked up in the last few weeks with the approach of provincial elections,
and both American and Iraqi security officials have warned that there could
be more violence in the coming days. Last week, 48 people died in the
tense northern city of Kirkuk when a suicide bomber attacked a packed
restaurant where Sunni Arabs and Kurds were meeting to ease frictions.
The attack on Wednesday came on the same day that Prime Minister
Gordon Brown of Britain, in a surprise visit to the Iraqi capital, confirmed
that British troops would leave Iraq next summer. In a joint statement
with Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki, Mr. Brown confirmed the long-
expected withdrawal, and said: “The role played by the U.K. combat forces
is drawing to a close. These forces will have completed their tasks in the
first half of 2009 and will then leave Iraq.”
Britain has 4,100 troops in Iraq, down from the 46,000 that joined the
American-led invasion in March 2003 to overthrow Saddam Hussein. The
British contingent constituted Washington’s most important ally in the
invasion. After his meeting with Mr. Maliki, Mr. Brown left for the southern
city of Basra, where the remaining British troops are based.
Nahdha is a mixed Sunni and Shiite neighborhood. Police stations are a
favorite target for insurgents, and residents have complained about having
one in their neighborhood.
Wounded Iraqi police officers remained on the scene after the dead were
taken away in ambulances. Maj. Mahdi Ahmid, an administrative officer with
the Iraqi traffic police, had large bandages on his face after being struck by
shrapnel. He said he heard the first blast and stepped outside to find out what
had happened. Five minutes later, he said, the second, more powerful bomb exploded.
The Iraqi police officers’ cars near the blast were shattered, and shrapnel, tires
and debris landed more than a block away. Abu Aws, a 40-year-old former traffic
police officer who now lives down the street from the bomb site, found a child’s
shoe with a piece of metal sticking out of it. At least one body was recovered
without a head. When police officers arrived on the scene, they called out
for missing colleagues.
The explosion damaged a water line, and blood mixed with mud in the streets.
Four teenage boys used pieces of cardboard to pick up human remains in the
middle of the street. A resident who asked to remain anonymous said he
brought blankets out “to cover three of my friends who were killed.” One officer,
Cpl. Nadeen Amel, was wounded by flying glass. A bandage was wrapped
around his head and blood was splattered on his uniform.
In a second attack in Baghdad on Wednesday, a car bomb at a checkpoint killed
two civilians and wounded four Iraqi police officers.
Mr. Brown’s announcement of the British withdrawal is one of many changes
now under way as Iraqis take more control of military operations around the
country. The American military announced late Tuesday that it was handing
over to the Iraqi judicial system 39 detainees who held positions in the Hussein
regime and who are accused of crimes against fellow Iraqis.
Wednesday’s visit was Mr. Brown’s fourth to Iraq and followed a valedictory
appearance earlier this week by President Bush during which he was forced
to dodge shoes thrown at him by an Iraqi journalist at a news conference.
Riyadh Muhammad contributed reporting from Baghdad and Alissa J. Rubin from Paris.
I've found a report of that attack only in the N.Y. Times
BAGHDAD — A bomb planted in a minibus exploded near a parking lot
of the Iraqi traffic police in a market neighborhood of northeastern
Baghdad on Wednesday, killing at least 18 people and injuring 52,
Ministry of Interior and police officials said.
The attack, in a small market of barbershops and butchers, happened
in stages, according to the police. A small blast drew people from their
homes, and then the minibus exploded. The attack appeared to target
an Iraqi traffic police station nearby. At least three of those killed were
Iraqi police officers.
There were no immediate claims of responsibility for the bombing, which
was in the Nahdha neighborhood. However, the pace of violence in Iraq
has picked up in the last few weeks with the approach of provincial elections,
and both American and Iraqi security officials have warned that there could
be more violence in the coming days. Last week, 48 people died in the
tense northern city of Kirkuk when a suicide bomber attacked a packed
restaurant where Sunni Arabs and Kurds were meeting to ease frictions.
The attack on Wednesday came on the same day that Prime Minister
Gordon Brown of Britain, in a surprise visit to the Iraqi capital, confirmed
that British troops would leave Iraq next summer. In a joint statement
with Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki, Mr. Brown confirmed the long-
expected withdrawal, and said: “The role played by the U.K. combat forces
is drawing to a close. These forces will have completed their tasks in the
first half of 2009 and will then leave Iraq.”
Britain has 4,100 troops in Iraq, down from the 46,000 that joined the
American-led invasion in March 2003 to overthrow Saddam Hussein. The
British contingent constituted Washington’s most important ally in the
invasion. After his meeting with Mr. Maliki, Mr. Brown left for the southern
city of Basra, where the remaining British troops are based.
Nahdha is a mixed Sunni and Shiite neighborhood. Police stations are a
favorite target for insurgents, and residents have complained about having
one in their neighborhood.
Wounded Iraqi police officers remained on the scene after the dead were
taken away in ambulances. Maj. Mahdi Ahmid, an administrative officer with
the Iraqi traffic police, had large bandages on his face after being struck by
shrapnel. He said he heard the first blast and stepped outside to find out what
had happened. Five minutes later, he said, the second, more powerful bomb exploded.
The Iraqi police officers’ cars near the blast were shattered, and shrapnel, tires
and debris landed more than a block away. Abu Aws, a 40-year-old former traffic
police officer who now lives down the street from the bomb site, found a child’s
shoe with a piece of metal sticking out of it. At least one body was recovered
without a head. When police officers arrived on the scene, they called out
for missing colleagues.
The explosion damaged a water line, and blood mixed with mud in the streets.
Four teenage boys used pieces of cardboard to pick up human remains in the
middle of the street. A resident who asked to remain anonymous said he
brought blankets out “to cover three of my friends who were killed.” One officer,
Cpl. Nadeen Amel, was wounded by flying glass. A bandage was wrapped
around his head and blood was splattered on his uniform.
In a second attack in Baghdad on Wednesday, a car bomb at a checkpoint killed
two civilians and wounded four Iraqi police officers.
Mr. Brown’s announcement of the British withdrawal is one of many changes
now under way as Iraqis take more control of military operations around the
country. The American military announced late Tuesday that it was handing
over to the Iraqi judicial system 39 detainees who held positions in the Hussein
regime and who are accused of crimes against fellow Iraqis.
Wednesday’s visit was Mr. Brown’s fourth to Iraq and followed a valedictory
appearance earlier this week by President Bush during which he was forced
to dodge shoes thrown at him by an Iraqi journalist at a news conference.
Riyadh Muhammad contributed reporting from Baghdad and Alissa J. Rubin from Paris.
