A suicide bomber on a bicycle blew himself up, killing at least 28 people and wounding 58 more outside a police academy in the Iraqi capital yesterday in the bloodiest attack in weeks, officials said.
The bomber activated his vest as he sped into the crowd in central Baghdad on busy Palestine Street, an interior ministry official told reporters.
Police academies across Iraq have come under repeated attack as al-Qaeda and other insurgents continue to target security forces around the country.
Fifteen people died and more than 45 were wounded in two blasts at the Baghdad academy on Dec. 1.
It is located in a high security area that includes the interior, oil and irrigation ministries as well as army and national police compounds.
In August, 25 Iraqis, most applicants to the police force, died in a suicide bombing at a recruiting center in Diyala Province, northeast of Baghdad.
Security had been stepped up at the Baghdad academy to try to prevent further attacks.
Palestine Street had been closed to vehicles for security reasons for two years. However one lane was recently reopened with no stopping allowed.
Since late 2007, security has improved dramatically in Iraq and that stability, albeit fragile, is behind US President Barack Obama’s decision to end combat operations in Iraq within 18 months.
The US military said yesterday it would reduce the number of troops in Iraq by around 12,000 in the next six months as part of Obama’s plan to end combat operations in August next year.
“Two brigade combat teams who were scheduled to redeploy in the next six months, along with enabling forces such as logistics, engineers and intelligence, will not be replaced,” the US military said in a statement.
Reducing the number of US combat brigades in Iraq from 14 to 12 would cut the number of US troops — currently around 140,000 — by 12,000, military officials said. A US combat brigade typically has 4,000 to 5,000 soldiers.
Obama plans to pull all combat troops out of Iraq by Aug. 31 next year, leaving 35,000 to 50,000 support and training troops as Washington shifts its military focus to Afghanistan.
DEFENSE: The first set of three NASAMS that were previously purchased is expected to be delivered by the end of this year and deployed near the capital, sources said Taiwan plans to procure 28 more sets of M-142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), as well as nine additional sets of National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS), military sources said yesterday. Taiwan had previously purchased 29 HIMARS launchers from the US and received the first 11 last year. Once the planned purchases are completed and delivered, Taiwan would have 57 sets of HIMARS. The army has also increased the number of MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) purchased from 64 to 84, the sources added. Each HIMARS launch pod can carry six Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems, capable of
TRAJECTORY: The severe tropical storm is predicted to be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday and Thursday, and would influence the nation to varying degrees, a forecaster said The Central Weather Administration (CWA) yesterday said it would likely issue a sea warning for Tropical Storm Podul tomorrow morning and a land warning that evening at the earliest. CWA forecaster Lin Ting-yi (林定宜) said the severe tropical storm is predicted to be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday and Thursday. As of 2pm yesterday, the storm was moving west at 21kph and packing sustained winds of 108kph and gusts of up to 136.8kph, the CWA said. Lin said that the tropical storm was about 1,710km east of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost tip, with two possible trajectories over the next one
Tropical Storm Podul strengthened into a typhoon at 8pm yesterday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said, with a sea warning to be issued late last night or early this morning. As of 8pm, the typhoon was 1,020km east of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost tip, moving west at 23kph. The storm carried maximum sustained winds of 119kph and gusts reaching 155kph, the CWA said. Based on the tropical storm’s trajectory, a land warning could be issued any time from midday today, it added. CWA forecaster Chang Chun-yao (張竣堯) said Podul is a fast-moving storm that is forecast to bring its heaviest rainfall and strongest
CRITICISM: It is deeply regrettable that China, which is pursuing nuclear weapons, has suppressed Taiwan, which is pursuing peace, a government official said Representative to Japan Lee Yi-yang (李逸洋) yesterday accused Beijing of interference after Taiwan’s official delegation to the Nagasaki Peace Memorial Ceremony in Japan was assigned seating in the “international non-governmental organizations [NGO]” area. “Taiwan is by no means an international NGO, but a sovereign nation that is active on the international stage,” Lee said. Lee and Chen Ming-chun (陳銘俊), head of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Fukuoka, attended the ceremony in Nagasaki yesterday, which marked the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing of the city. That followed Lee’s attendance at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony on Wednesday
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