The Hindu : Two killed, 29 injured in Iraq blast

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jan 15, 2004

International

International

Two killed, 29 injured in Iraq blast

By Atul Aneja

MANAMA, JAN. 14. Two people were killed and 29 injured in a suicide car bombing in the restive town of Baquba, while anti-American sentiments grew perceptibly in two key Shia cities that have been rocked by job riots in the last few days. Of the injured, 14 were policemen, who have been frequently targeted in the recent past. Iraqi resistance views policemen as legitimate targets as they are seen as collaborators of the Anglo-American occupation of Iraq.

The Sunni dominated Baquba, around 60 km. northeast of Baghdad, also saw five people killed on Friday when a bomb exploded in front of a Shia mosque.

The suicide bomber reportedly drove an explosive-laden car into one of the barricades guarding the police post.

Tension was high in the Shia cities of Al Kut and Amara following violent clashes between protesters seeking jobs and the occupation forces. Ukrainian troops fired in the air to disrupt a violent demonstration in Al Kut on Monday, while British soldiers killed six Iraqi protesters on Saturday in Amara.

Opposition to the U.S. occupation may harden after the revered Shia leader, Ali Sistani on Sunday, opposed the U.S. scripted plan for bringing about Iraqi self-rule. U.S. forces have detained four nephews of Izzat Ibrahim Al-Douri, the right hand man of the former Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein.

Mr. Al-Douri, accused of organising attacks against the U.S. occupation, has a bounty of $10 millions on his head and has become the most-wanted member of the former regime.

The arrests took place in overnight raids on two homes in central Iraq, following the downing of an American Apache helicopter on Tuesday by the Iraqi resistance.

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