Troops opened fire yesterday on two explosives-laden trucks that tried to plow through a Polish military camp south of Baghdad, triggering blasts that killed four people -- including the two drivers and two Iraqis -- and wounded 54 people.
The wounded in the apparent suicide attack included 23 soldiers -- 10 Hungarians, 12 Poles, and an American -- and 31 civilians, officials in Baghdad and Warsaw said.
It occurred as members of the country's Iraqi Governing Council continued to push aside the US idea of holding regional caucuses to elect an interim government after the planned June 30 hand over.
The bombing happened after 7:15am when a pair of trucks loaded with explosives tried to drive near the front of Camp Charlie in Hillah. Guards fired at the vehicles, causing one to explode, said Lieutenant Colonel Robert Strzelecki. Another truck struck a concrete barrier and exploded, damaging a nearby house.
Poland leads a multinational force of about 9,500 soldiers in south-central Iraq. Its troops also fought in the US-led war that began March 20 to oust former president Saddam Hussein. Hungary has 300 troops in Iraq providing logistical support and humanitarian aid.
Hungarian Defense Ministry Spokesman Istvan Bocskai said two of the Hungarian soldiers were seriously wounded, but the injuries weren't life threatening.
"One of them is being treated in Baghdad and the other in Babylon," he said, adding Hungary had no plans to withdraw the soldiers. Camp Babylon is the Polish headquarters here.
A Polish officer was killed in last November, the first Polish soldier killed in combat since the aftermath of World War II.
More than 280 people have been killed in suicide attacks across Iraq since the beginning of the year. Yesterday's attack occurred a week after two suicide vehicle bombings -- against an Iraqi police station in Iskandariyah and an army recruiting station in Baghdad -- that killed more than 100 people.
Since the beginning of the year 109 people have been killed in Irbil and 100 in separate attacks in Baghdad and Iskandariyah.
In Baghdad, Mouwafak al-Rubaie, a Shiite Arab member of the Governing Council, said yesterday that the idea of using caucuses was "gone with the wind," adding that the only solution palatable to Iraqis are general elections.
"Anything else will make things worse and the results will be damaging to Iraq," he said. "Only elections will give the legitimacy needed for any future political process or body."
The US also unveiled a list of 32 wanted people included suspected cell leaders, former members of Saddam's military and regional Baath leaders thought to be helping the insurgency.
Atop the list, with a US$1 million reward, is Mohammed Yunis al-Ahmad, a former top Baath Party official. Rewards between US$50,000 and US$200,000 were offered for the others.
Until now, US officials have not made public a list of suspected leaders of the insurgency that erupted after the regime's collapse and has killed more American soldiers than did the invasion that toppled Saddam.
Also see story:
DEFENDING DEMOCRACY: Taiwan shares the same values as those that fought in WWII, and nations must unite to halt the expansion of a new authoritarian bloc, Lai said The government yesterday held a commemoration ceremony for Victory in Europe (V-E) Day, joining the rest of the world for the first time to mark the anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe. Taiwan honoring V-E Day signifies “our growing connections with the international community,” President William Lai (賴清德) said at a reception in Taipei on the 80th anniversary of V-E Day. One of the major lessons of World War II is that “authoritarianism and aggression lead only to slaughter, tragedy and greater inequality,” Lai said. Even more importantly, the war also taught people that “those who cherish peace cannot
STEADFAST FRIEND: The bills encourage increased Taiwan-US engagement and address China’s distortion of UN Resolution 2758 to isolate Taiwan internationally The Presidential Office yesterday thanked the US House of Representatives for unanimously passing two Taiwan-related bills highlighting its solid support for Taiwan’s democracy and global participation, and for deepening bilateral relations. One of the bills, the Taiwan Assurance Implementation Act, requires the US Department of State to periodically review its guidelines for engagement with Taiwan, and report to the US Congress on the guidelines and plans to lift self-imposed limitations on US-Taiwan engagement. The other bill is the Taiwan International Solidarity Act, which clarifies that UN Resolution 2758 does not address the issue of the representation of Taiwan or its people in
The Philippines yesterday criticized a “high-risk” maneuver by a Chinese vessel near the disputed Scarborough Shoal (Huangyan Island, 黃岩島) in a rare incident involving warships from the two navies. The Scarborough Shoal — a triangular chain of reefs and rocks in the contested South China Sea — has been a flash point between the countries since China seized it from the Philippines in 2012. Taiwan also claims the shoal. Monday’s encounter took place approximately 11.8 nautical miles (22km) southeast” of the Scarborough Shoal, the Philippine military said, during ongoing US-Philippine military exercises that Beijing has criticized as destabilizing. “The Chinese frigate BN 554 was
LEISURE: The new law adds Confucius’ birthday, the anniversary of the Battle of Guningtou, Constitution Day and Little New Year as national holidays The Legislative Yuan yesterday passed new legislation adding four national holidays and making Workers’ Day a national holiday for all sectors. The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Taiwan People’s Party used their combined majority in the legislature to push the jointly proposed draft through its third and final reading. This new law supersedes the existing regulations for the implementation of memorial days and state holidays, which are administered by the Ministry of the Interior. The new law recognizes Confucius’ birthday on Sept. 28, the anniversary of the Battle of Guningtou on Oct. 25, Constitution Day on Dec. 25 and “Little New Year,”
RSS