Blasts Ring out Across Central Baghdad

16/10/2004| IslamWeb

Two blasts, one near a hospital and the other near a hotel, have killed one person and wounded at least three in Baghdad. The casualties were caused by a rocket or mortar round that exploded outside the Ibn al-Bitar hospital in central Baghdad on Saturday. One hospital worker was killed and at least three others injured in the explosion that occurred shortly after 9am (0600 GMT). A rocket struck the car park of al-Mansur hotel, used by foreign news organisations and diplomats, damaging vehicles but causing no casualties. The explosion shattered glass in the lobby, said Bian Zhiqiang, interim charge d'affaires for the Chinese embassy, which is located inside the hotel. A US soldier at the scene said an investigation was under way to identify the type of rocket used and find out where it had been fired from. **Falluja plea*** In Falluja, the mosques' imams have demanded that Muslim scholars and humanitarian organisations take a united and firm stand in response to the force inflicted against the people of the city. In a statement received by Aljazeera, the imams called for Muslim scholars to issue a fatwa (decree) allowing for civil disobedience and a sit-in in Falluja. They called for the interim Iraqi government to take a clear stance and not accept the "al-Zarqawi lie", used as an excuse to kill innocent women and children in the city. Falluja has come under repeated US air strikes over the past few weeks. The US says it is targeting hideouts and meeting places of supporters of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. The statement added that, should the government not heed the appeal, then a call would be made for jihad and a general mobilisation of fighters would begin. Tens of Iraqis have been killed in missile attacks on Falluja. **Church attacks*** The explosions followed overnight bomb attacks that damaged five churches in Baghdad, but caused no casualties. The blasts rang out in quick succession over an hour and a half, starting at 4am (0100GMT) at St Joseph Church in the Nafaq al-Shurta area. The other churches hit were St Jacob's Church and St George's Church in the Dura neighbourhood, the Church of Rome in the Karrada neighbourhood and St Thomas Church in the Mansur area. The churches all had some exterior damage, with windows blown out. In August, coordinated attacks hit four churches in Baghdad and one in Mosul, killing at least seven people and wounding dozens more in the first strike against Iraq's minority Christians since the US invasion began last year. **UK troop redeployment*** Also on Saturday, it has been reported that British troops could be moved to Baghdad to cover for US soldiers battling anti-American forces in the city of Falluja and elsewhere in Iraq. The deployment to the Iraqi capital would be the first time British troops have operated outside the Basra area of southern Iraq. Up to 650 troops would be involved in the move, which would last for just a few weeks, the BBC reported. A Ministry of Defence spokesman in London said no decision had been made and that any significant movement of troops would be announced "in the normal way". The Times newspaper said officers from Britain's Black Watch regiment, currently serving in Basra, had told their troops about a possible move to Baghdad. **PHOTO CAPTION*** US soldiers secure the area close to a damaged police vehicle following a car bomb attack in the southern Dura neighborhood of Baghdad.(AFP)