41 Mkilled in Iraq’s continuing ‘war of genocide’
The Iraqi capital Baghdad continues to reel under a fresh wave of car bombings, adding to the carnage that the embattled city — once a showpiece of affluence and stability in the Arab world — has suffered in recent months.
At least 41 people were killed, following coordinated strikes during rush hour on Sunday, the first working day of the week in the region.
The attacks targeted areas where there was a heavy concentration of Shias, mainly markets and a bus stations. Apparently, these blasts were meant to further inflame sectarian strife, in a nation of 32 million, whose composite social fabric has already been stretched thin because of machinations that have pitted Sunnis, Shias, Christians and Kurds against each other, in the aftermath of the country’ s invasion by the United States and its allies in 2003.
Starting at around 9.30 a.m. local time, the frenzy of bombings tore through 10 locations within a space of 40 minutes. Over a 100 people were injured during the strikes. Separately, a suicide bomber in northern Iraq killed eight soldiers who had queued up to collect their pay packages.
Overwhelmed by the spiralling violence, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said on October 23 that Iraq is facing a “war of genocide”. “It has become clear... that Iraq is subjected to a war of genocide targeting all of its components,” said the Iraqi Premier during a press conference.
Mr. Maliki blamed the al-Qaeda for killing thousands of people in Iraq, asserting that the militant outfit is “destroying the houses of citizens and killing them, and blowing up government departments.” The daily, Al Hayat quoted Mr. Maliki as saying that the fall-out of the Syrian conflict has hit Iraq badly, on account of the free-flow of al-Qaeda linked extremists across the borders of the two neighbouring countries. He told tribal sheikhs in Kirkuk — an oil city dominated by Kurds — that the strife-torn situation in Iraq “is an extension of what is seen in Syria, Egypt and Libya”. Urging the tribal elders to rise, he added: “You cannot be controlled by small groups of Chechens, Afghans, Circassians and other powers that do not wish well for Iraq.”
At least 41 people were killed, following coordinated strikes during rush hour on Sunday, the first working day of the week in the region.
The attacks targeted areas where there was a heavy concentration of Shias, mainly markets and a bus stations. Apparently, these blasts were meant to further inflame sectarian strife, in a nation of 32 million, whose composite social fabric has already been stretched thin because of machinations that have pitted Sunnis, Shias, Christians and Kurds against each other, in the aftermath of the country’ s invasion by the United States and its allies in 2003.
Starting at around 9.30 a.m. local time, the frenzy of bombings tore through 10 locations within a space of 40 minutes. Over a 100 people were injured during the strikes. Separately, a suicide bomber in northern Iraq killed eight soldiers who had queued up to collect their pay packages.
Overwhelmed by the spiralling violence, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said on October 23 that Iraq is facing a “war of genocide”. “It has become clear... that Iraq is subjected to a war of genocide targeting all of its components,” said the Iraqi Premier during a press conference.
Mr. Maliki blamed the al-Qaeda for killing thousands of people in Iraq, asserting that the militant outfit is “destroying the houses of citizens and killing them, and blowing up government departments.” The daily, Al Hayat quoted Mr. Maliki as saying that the fall-out of the Syrian conflict has hit Iraq badly, on account of the free-flow of al-Qaeda linked extremists across the borders of the two neighbouring countries. He told tribal sheikhs in Kirkuk — an oil city dominated by Kurds — that the strife-torn situation in Iraq “is an extension of what is seen in Syria, Egypt and Libya”. Urging the tribal elders to rise, he added: “You cannot be controlled by small groups of Chechens, Afghans, Circassians and other powers that do not wish well for Iraq.”
