{UAH} Baghdad bombing kills at least 200
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Baghdad bombing kills at least 200; ISIS claims responsibility
By Mohammed Tawfeeq, Joe Sterling and Susanna Capelouto, CNN
Updated 0920 GMT (1720 HKT) July 4, 2016
ISIS promised an uptick in terror attacks during the holy month of Ramadan
Angry over the continuing violence in the country, people threw
objects at the Iraqi PM's convoy as he went to survey the bomb damage
(CNN) — [Breaking news update, posted at 4:46 a.m. ET]
The death toll from Saturday's suicide bombing in Baghdad has risen to
200, the deputy head of the security committee of the Baghdad
Provincial Council, Mohamed al-Rubaye, said in a televised phone
interview Monday.
[Previous story, posted at 1:59 a.m. ET]
(CNN) -- A suicide truck bomb ripped through a busy shopping district
in Baghdad over the weekend, killing more than 100 in what was the
deadliest single attack in the war-weary country in years.
The brazen Saturday night attack in the heart of the packed Karrada
neighborhood killed at least 125 people, including 25 children and 20
women.
Families had been gathering hours after they broke the fast for the
holy Muslim month of Ramadan and prepared for Eid al-Fitr -- the day
that marks the end of the holiday this week.
As people congregated, shopped and watched soccer matches, the
bomb-laden truck plowed into a building housing a coffee shop, stores
and a gym. Firefighters rescued wounded and trapped people in adjacent
buildings.
ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack. It was the latest in a
string of assaults during Ramadan, a period of fasting and prayer for
Muslims and also a time when jihadists launch operations against those
they regard as their enemies.
The White house issued a statement saying: "These attacks only
strengthen our resolve to support Iraqi security forces as they
continue to take back territory from ISIL, just as we continue to
intensify our efforts to root out ISIL's terrorist network and
leaders."
What is Ramadan?
The Baghdad assault came just days after massacres at a cafe in Dhaka,
Bangladesh, the Ataturk International Airport in Istanbul, Turkey, and
security targets in Yemen. There have also been recent suicide attacks
in Jordan at a border crossing near Syria, and suicide attacks in a
Christian area of northern Lebanon.
Last month, a gunman shot up a nightclub in Orlando, Florida, killing
49 people before he was killed, and an attacker killed a police
commander and his partner in France.
ISIS has claimed responsibility for the attacks in Bangladesh and
Yemen and there are news reports that ISIS claimed responsibility for
the Jordanian attack. Experts believe the group might have conducted
the attacks in Turkey and Lebanon.
Omar Mateen, the killer in Orlando, and the attacker in France both
pledged allegiance to ISIS.
A second bomb exploded Sunday at an outdoor market in the Shaab
neighborhood of southeastern Baghdad, killing one person and wounding
five others, police said.
Baghdad strikes are a sign of the Sunni-Shiite tension in the Muslim
world. Sunni-dominated ISIS claimed it was targeting Shiite
neighborhoods. Karrada and Shaab are predominately Shiite.
"These acts of mass murder are yet another example of Daesh's contempt
for human life," said State Department spokesman John Kirby, using
another term for ISIS. "From Baghdad to Istanbul, Brussels, Dhaka, and
Paris, Daesh terrorists murder the innocent to attract attention and
recruits. They will not succeed."
Kirby was also making reference to the attacks last November in Paris
that killed 130 people and the attacks in Brussels that left more than
30 dead.
.
"We've had it with the Iraqi government and politicians. They can't
continue blaming Daesh and other terrorist groups. We need a
solution," he said. "I lost several friends myself, some are still
missing," he said, sobbing.
The anger of residents manifested itself when Iraqi Prime Minister
Haider al-Abadi and other officials attempted to survey the bomb
damage.
Amateur videos posted on social media showed residents throwing
objects at a convoy carrying al-Abadi in Karrada. The videos showed
protesters yelling "thief!" and "get out!"
In a statement, al-Abadi said he understands the reaction in "that
moment of grief" by the residents who threw objects at his convoy.
He said he came to Karrada to console families and "share their sorrow
in this painful tragedy that happened." He said ISIS tried to hijack
the joy that Iraqis felt over recent victories against ISIS in
Falluja.
As for Baghdad, it has witnessed a surge in the number of car bomb
attacks in recent weeks, with ISIS claiming responsibility for many of
them.
One of the worst incidents occurred in Baghdad's Sadr City
neighborhood May 11, when a car packed with explosives detonated,
killing at least 64 people and wounding 87, according to security
officials.
A week later, three more explosions were set off. Sadr City was hit
again -- another 24 people were killed and 71 were wounded.
The other two explosions were in the Shaab neighborhood adn killed at
least 19 people and wounded another 44.
Hundreds of new U.S. troops to Iraq a 'possibility'
International reaction
Al-Abadi called the Karrada strike "dastardly" and "cowardly" and
announced a three-day mourning period.
"This is a cowardly and heinous act of unparalleled proportions, to
target peaceful civilians in the closing days of the holy month of
Ramadan, including shoppers preparing" for the Eid holiday, said Jan
Kubis, the United Nations special representative for Iraq.
The White House issued a statement saying, "These attacks only
strengthen our resolve to support Iraqi security forces as they
continue to take back territory from ISIL, just as we continue to
intensify our efforts to root out ISIL's terrorist network and
leaders." ISIL is also another name for ISIS.
UNICEF reacted to the death of 25 children in the attack.
"The killing and maiming of children is a grave violation under
international humanitarian law," the group said in a statement. "As
violence across Iraq intensifies, children continue to pay the
heaviest price."
Bombing comes after Iraqi gains against ISIS
This flurry of ISIS strikes during Ramadan comes as the United States
says the group is losing ground in the warfare across Syria and Iraq.
Iraqi forces announced last week they have seized the city of Falluja,
40 miles west of Baghdad, from ISIS. At the time, authorities assured
Baghdad residents that the bombings would stop.
: Why Falluja matters
Many of the car bombers and suicide bombers who have plagued the
capital for years are from Falluja, about an hour away.
"Obviously this will reignite the anger of ordinary people who say we
can't even go out at night and enjoy life in our city," said CNN
Senior International Correspondent Iraqi forces, encouraged by their
triumph, are turning their attention to Mosul, where they and Kurdish
forces plan to wrest control of Iraq's second-largest city in the
north. Mosul has been under ISIS control since 2014.
Cedric Leighton, a CNN military analyst and retired Air Force colonel,
thinks the attacks will worsen and said that is ISIS' game plan, to
generate instability.
"They are trying to create enough chaos in Iraq itself so that the
Iraqi forces will find it very difficult to actually take advantage of
the forward momentum they have achieved because of their victory in
Falluja and that is a very serious issue that the al-Abadi
administration is going to have to address."
Its hard to say "when and where they are going to strike," he said of ISIS.
"This is a very, very difficult time. It is a very risky time, just
because the political fissures are so great within Iraq that they are
so easily exploitable by ISIS and its fellow travelers."
Such attacks, like the one in Baghdad will serve to drive a wedge
between the government and the people, in particular the Shiites.
"The wedge was already there and its fairly easy for them to exploit
this," he said.
Opinion: ISIS is losing the war
Bomb detectors pulled from security checkpoints
After the Karrada attack, al-Abadi issued a statement ordering all
bomb detector devices pulled from security checkpoints. He ordered the
Interior Ministry to reopen a probe into corrupt deals to purchase
such devices.
This occurred amid fears that some detectors don't work.
Six years ago, the Iraqi government accused a manufacturer of
supplying the country with some fake bomb detectors and said Tuesday
it plans to sue the company.
Government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh at the time said that three Iraqi
investigations into the devices determined most of the bomb detectors
are working, although some are fake and ineffective. He did not name
the detectors in his statement or explain the investigations.
The alleged fakes have been removed from Iraqi streets and have been
replaced by functioning ones, al-Dabbagh had said.
--
Disclaimer:Everyone posting to this Forum bears the sole responsibility for any legal consequences of his or her postings, and hence statements and facts must be presented responsibly. Your continued membership signifies that you agree to this disclaimer and pledge to abide by our Rules and Guidelines.To unsubscribe from this group, send email to: ugandans-at-heart+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com
By Mohammed Tawfeeq, Joe Sterling and Susanna Capelouto, CNN
Updated 0920 GMT (1720 HKT) July 4, 2016
ISIS promised an uptick in terror attacks during the holy month of Ramadan
Angry over the continuing violence in the country, people threw
objects at the Iraqi PM's convoy as he went to survey the bomb damage
(CNN) — [Breaking news update, posted at 4:46 a.m. ET]
The death toll from Saturday's suicide bombing in Baghdad has risen to
200, the deputy head of the security committee of the Baghdad
Provincial Council, Mohamed al-Rubaye, said in a televised phone
interview Monday.
[Previous story, posted at 1:59 a.m. ET]
(CNN) -- A suicide truck bomb ripped through a busy shopping district
in Baghdad over the weekend, killing more than 100 in what was the
deadliest single attack in the war-weary country in years.
The brazen Saturday night attack in the heart of the packed Karrada
neighborhood killed at least 125 people, including 25 children and 20
women.
Families had been gathering hours after they broke the fast for the
holy Muslim month of Ramadan and prepared for Eid al-Fitr -- the day
that marks the end of the holiday this week.
As people congregated, shopped and watched soccer matches, the
bomb-laden truck plowed into a building housing a coffee shop, stores
and a gym. Firefighters rescued wounded and trapped people in adjacent
buildings.
ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack. It was the latest in a
string of assaults during Ramadan, a period of fasting and prayer for
Muslims and also a time when jihadists launch operations against those
they regard as their enemies.
The White house issued a statement saying: "These attacks only
strengthen our resolve to support Iraqi security forces as they
continue to take back territory from ISIL, just as we continue to
intensify our efforts to root out ISIL's terrorist network and
leaders."
What is Ramadan?
The Baghdad assault came just days after massacres at a cafe in Dhaka,
Bangladesh, the Ataturk International Airport in Istanbul, Turkey, and
security targets in Yemen. There have also been recent suicide attacks
in Jordan at a border crossing near Syria, and suicide attacks in a
Christian area of northern Lebanon.
Last month, a gunman shot up a nightclub in Orlando, Florida, killing
49 people before he was killed, and an attacker killed a police
commander and his partner in France.
ISIS has claimed responsibility for the attacks in Bangladesh and
Yemen and there are news reports that ISIS claimed responsibility for
the Jordanian attack. Experts believe the group might have conducted
the attacks in Turkey and Lebanon.
Omar Mateen, the killer in Orlando, and the attacker in France both
pledged allegiance to ISIS.
A second bomb exploded Sunday at an outdoor market in the Shaab
neighborhood of southeastern Baghdad, killing one person and wounding
five others, police said.
Baghdad strikes are a sign of the Sunni-Shiite tension in the Muslim
world. Sunni-dominated ISIS claimed it was targeting Shiite
neighborhoods. Karrada and Shaab are predominately Shiite.
"These acts of mass murder are yet another example of Daesh's contempt
for human life," said State Department spokesman John Kirby, using
another term for ISIS. "From Baghdad to Istanbul, Brussels, Dhaka, and
Paris, Daesh terrorists murder the innocent to attract attention and
recruits. They will not succeed."
Kirby was also making reference to the attacks last November in Paris
that killed 130 people and the attacks in Brussels that left more than
30 dead.
.
"We've had it with the Iraqi government and politicians. They can't
continue blaming Daesh and other terrorist groups. We need a
solution," he said. "I lost several friends myself, some are still
missing," he said, sobbing.
The anger of residents manifested itself when Iraqi Prime Minister
Haider al-Abadi and other officials attempted to survey the bomb
damage.
Amateur videos posted on social media showed residents throwing
objects at a convoy carrying al-Abadi in Karrada. The videos showed
protesters yelling "thief!" and "get out!"
In a statement, al-Abadi said he understands the reaction in "that
moment of grief" by the residents who threw objects at his convoy.
He said he came to Karrada to console families and "share their sorrow
in this painful tragedy that happened." He said ISIS tried to hijack
the joy that Iraqis felt over recent victories against ISIS in
Falluja.
As for Baghdad, it has witnessed a surge in the number of car bomb
attacks in recent weeks, with ISIS claiming responsibility for many of
them.
One of the worst incidents occurred in Baghdad's Sadr City
neighborhood May 11, when a car packed with explosives detonated,
killing at least 64 people and wounding 87, according to security
officials.
A week later, three more explosions were set off. Sadr City was hit
again -- another 24 people were killed and 71 were wounded.
The other two explosions were in the Shaab neighborhood adn killed at
least 19 people and wounded another 44.
Hundreds of new U.S. troops to Iraq a 'possibility'
International reaction
Al-Abadi called the Karrada strike "dastardly" and "cowardly" and
announced a three-day mourning period.
"This is a cowardly and heinous act of unparalleled proportions, to
target peaceful civilians in the closing days of the holy month of
Ramadan, including shoppers preparing" for the Eid holiday, said Jan
Kubis, the United Nations special representative for Iraq.
The White House issued a statement saying, "These attacks only
strengthen our resolve to support Iraqi security forces as they
continue to take back territory from ISIL, just as we continue to
intensify our efforts to root out ISIL's terrorist network and
leaders." ISIL is also another name for ISIS.
UNICEF reacted to the death of 25 children in the attack.
"The killing and maiming of children is a grave violation under
international humanitarian law," the group said in a statement. "As
violence across Iraq intensifies, children continue to pay the
heaviest price."
Bombing comes after Iraqi gains against ISIS
This flurry of ISIS strikes during Ramadan comes as the United States
says the group is losing ground in the warfare across Syria and Iraq.
Iraqi forces announced last week they have seized the city of Falluja,
40 miles west of Baghdad, from ISIS. At the time, authorities assured
Baghdad residents that the bombings would stop.
: Why Falluja matters
Many of the car bombers and suicide bombers who have plagued the
capital for years are from Falluja, about an hour away.
"Obviously this will reignite the anger of ordinary people who say we
can't even go out at night and enjoy life in our city," said CNN
Senior International Correspondent Iraqi forces, encouraged by their
triumph, are turning their attention to Mosul, where they and Kurdish
forces plan to wrest control of Iraq's second-largest city in the
north. Mosul has been under ISIS control since 2014.
Cedric Leighton, a CNN military analyst and retired Air Force colonel,
thinks the attacks will worsen and said that is ISIS' game plan, to
generate instability.
"They are trying to create enough chaos in Iraq itself so that the
Iraqi forces will find it very difficult to actually take advantage of
the forward momentum they have achieved because of their victory in
Falluja and that is a very serious issue that the al-Abadi
administration is going to have to address."
Its hard to say "when and where they are going to strike," he said of ISIS.
"This is a very, very difficult time. It is a very risky time, just
because the political fissures are so great within Iraq that they are
so easily exploitable by ISIS and its fellow travelers."
Such attacks, like the one in Baghdad will serve to drive a wedge
between the government and the people, in particular the Shiites.
"The wedge was already there and its fairly easy for them to exploit
this," he said.
Opinion: ISIS is losing the war
Bomb detectors pulled from security checkpoints
After the Karrada attack, al-Abadi issued a statement ordering all
bomb detector devices pulled from security checkpoints. He ordered the
Interior Ministry to reopen a probe into corrupt deals to purchase
such devices.
This occurred amid fears that some detectors don't work.
Six years ago, the Iraqi government accused a manufacturer of
supplying the country with some fake bomb detectors and said Tuesday
it plans to sue the company.
Government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh at the time said that three Iraqi
investigations into the devices determined most of the bomb detectors
are working, although some are fake and ineffective. He did not name
the detectors in his statement or explain the investigations.
The alleged fakes have been removed from Iraqi streets and have been
replaced by functioning ones, al-Dabbagh had said.
--
Disclaimer:Everyone posting to this Forum bears the sole responsibility for any legal consequences of his or her postings, and hence statements and facts must be presented responsibly. Your continued membership signifies that you agree to this disclaimer and pledge to abide by our Rules and Guidelines.To unsubscribe from this group, send email to: ugandans-at-heart+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com
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