September 25, 2007
Suicide Bombing Targets Iraqi Reconciliation Effort
The relative quiet that had befallen Iraq during this holy month of Ramadan was broken when a series of bombings left dozens of people dead and scores wounded over the past 24 hours.
Agence France-Presse reports that the death toll currently stands at 37 from several attacks, including a suicide bombing in a village mosque in Baquba, a city north of Baghdad; a double car bombing outside a bank in Baghdad; and a suicide bombing outside the police headquarters in the southern city of Basra.
The Baquba attack last night came as local Sunni and Shiite officials taking part in a political reconciliation meeting were breaking their daily Ramadan fast for an evening meal that was designed to show unity among the two Muslim groups.
"The attack apparently targeted Diyala provincial and tribal leaders who are part of U.S. efforts to forge an alliance against Sunni extremists, who once controlled large parts of the city 35 miles northeast of the capital," the Los Angeles Times reports. Conflicting reports claim about two dozen were killed in that attack, including several key local security officials; about 40 more were wounded.
CNN reports that "the dead included Baquba police Chief Ali al-Deylan and Brig. Gen. Abdul Karim al-Obaidi, commander of Diyala's police operations -- both Sunnis." Ahmed al-Tamimi, the head of a provincial organization that administers Shiite religious facilities, was also counted among the dead. The provincial governor was wounded in the attack.
U.S. military officials today blamed al-Qaida in Iraq for the attacks. "Once again, al-Qaida demonstrated the hatred they have for the citizens of Iraq by conducting a despicable attack against its people during one of their most revered celebrations -- Ramadan," Col. David Sutherland said in a statement.
Bloomberg News, the New York Times and the Washington Post have more on the recent violence.
