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50 Killed In Car Bombing Near Baghdad
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A video still image shows the scene of the car bomb in Iskandariya
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ISKANDARIYA,
Iraq, February 10 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) – A
bobby-trapped car exploded Tuesday, February 10, outside a police
station south of the Iraqi capital, killing at least 50 Iraqis and
wounding scores others, medical sources said.
"There
are around 50 martyrs, 30 of whom have been identified, and dozens
wounded," Dr Tahsim Ahmad told Reuters at Iskandariya hospital,
near the site of the attack.
Hospital
director Razak Jannabi reported 30 deaths and estimated the final
death toll would be 49.
A
Reuters reporter counted at least 20 bodies outside a hospital in the
mainly Shiite town of Iskandariya, 40 kilometers south of Baghdad.
"It
was a car (bomb) that was parked outside the station," policeman
Sadeq Khodeir told Reuters.
"It
brought down part of the building and the court house."
Iskandariya
governor Imad Lifty said all the victims "are locals, they are
innocents and Muslims. No Muslim could have done this.
"It
appears the amount of explosives used was huge because it killed so
many and devastated the buildings."
A
spokesman for the coalition, U.S. Lt Col Dan Williams, said that no
U.S. or "coalition" forces were killed or injured.
The
bombing appears to be the worst loss of life in Iraq since twin bomb
attacks in the northern city of Irbil on February 1 killed more than
100 people at Kurdish rallies.
Iraqi
police have been the target of repeated attack by Iraqi resistance
fighters who accuse them of collaborating with the U.S.-led
occupation.
Similar
bombings targeting police stations in Baghdad, Baquba, Khan Bani Saad
and Khaldiya have claimed the lives of dozens of Iraqis in the past
few months.
Iraqi
police officials say 300 policemen have been killed as a result of
such attacks, reported Reuters.
The
post-Saddam police was set up by the occupation authorities, who
provided training, equipment and have often led joint patrols.
Iskandariya
came one day after announcements that the U.S. forces would be
redeploying outside the Iraqi capital leaving the job to the Iraqi
police.
Baathist
Captured
In
another development, Muhsin Khadr, a former Baath party chairman who
features number 48 on the U.S. list of wanted Iraqi officials, was
turned over to American forces at the weekend.
His
arrest, leaving at large just 12 people still wanted by the U.S., came
as the occupation forces placed new bounties on the heads of suspected
resistance leaders.
Washington
maintains a 10 million dollar reward on the head of Saddam Hussein's
right-hand man, Izzat Ibrahim al-Duri.
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