BAGHDAD - Three suicide bombers driving trucks rigged with tanks of toxic chlorine gas struck targets in heavily Sunni Anbar province including the office of a Sunni tribal leader opposed to al-Qaida. The attacks killed at least two people and sickened 350 Iraqi civilians and six U.S. troops, the U.S. military said Saturday.
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There is a mounting power struggle between insurgents and the growing number of Sunnis who oppose them in Anbar, the center of the Sunni insurgency, which stretches from Baghdad to the borders with Syria, Saudi Arabia and Jordan. The Anbar assaults came three days after Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, a Shiite, traveled there to reach out to Sunni clan chiefs in a bid to undermine tribal support for the insurgency.
The violence started about 4:11 p.m. Friday when a driver detonated explosives in a pickup truck carrying chlorine at a checkpoint northeast of the provincial capital of Ramadi, wounding one U.S. service member and one Iraqi civilian, the military said in a statement.
Two hours later a dump truck exploded in Amiriyah, south of Fallujah, killing two policemen and leaving as many as 100 residents with symptoms of chlorine exposure ranging from minor skin and lung irritations to vomiting, the military said. Iraqi authorities said at least six people were killed and dozens wounded when the truck blew up in a line of cars waiting at a checkpoint. The U.S. did not confirm the Iraqi report.
Ahmed Kuhdier, a 32-year-old taxi driver, said the blast sent up a plume of white smoke that turned black and blue.
"Minutes later, we started to smell nasty smells. I saw people coming form the explosion site and they were coughing and having trouble breathing," he said.
Another suicide bomber detonated a dump truck containing a 200-gallon chlorine tank rigged with explosives at 7:13 p.m. three miles south of Fallujah in the Albu Issa tribal region, the military said. U.S. forces found about 250 local civilians, including seven children, suffering from symptoms related to chlorine exposure, according to the statement. Police said the bomb was targeting the reception center of a tribal sheik who has denounced al-Qaida.
Four other bombings have released chlorine gas since Jan. 28, when a suicide bomber driving a dump truck filled with explosives and a chlorine tank struck a quick-reaction force and Iraqi police in Ramadi, killing 16 people. The U.S. military has warned that insurgents are adopting new tactics in a campaign to spread panic.
The most recent such attack occurred Feb. 21 in Baghdad, killing five people and sending more than 55 to hospitals, a day after a bomb planted on a chlorine tanker left more than 150 villagers stricken near Taji, 12 miles north of the capital.
A previously unannounced suicide car bombing in Ramadi involving chlorine killed two Iraqi security officers and wounded 16 other people, including 13 civilians, on Feb. 19, the military said Saturday.
The military said last month that U.S. troops found a car bomb factory near Fallujah with about 65 propane tanks and ordinary chemicals it believed the insurgents were going to try to mix with explosives. Maj. Gen. William Caldwell, the chief U.S. military spokesman, called it a "crude attempt to raise the terror level."
Chlorine, which irritates the respiratory system, eyes and skin at low exposure and can cause death in heavier concentrations, is easily accessible. It is used for water purification plants, bleaches and disinfectants.
The primary effect of the chlorine attacks has been to spread panic. Although chlorine gas can be fatal, the heat from the explosions can render the gas nontoxic. Victims in the recent chlorine blasts died from the explosions, and not the effects of the gas.
Friday's strikes underscore the increasingly violent struggle for control of Anbar — a center for anti-U.S. guerrillas since the uprising in Fallujah in 2004 that galvanized the insurgency. In the past year, some major Sunni tribes have broken with the al-Qaida-linked insurgents — a move that has led to a new sense of optimism among U.S. officials in Anbar.
Al-Maliki on Tuesday made his first trip to Anbar province, meeting with influential clan chiefs whom the U.S. and the Iraqi government are cultivating. He expressed optimism the violence could be stopped and promised the area would not be forgotten as U.S. and Iraqi forces focus on a security sweep to stop the sectarian violence in Baghdad.
Bombings and shootings targeted police patrols elsewhere in Iraq Saturday, killing five policemen, including two who died after a suicide car bomber struck the checkpoint they were manning near a Sunni mosque in western Baghdad.
At least 34 other Iraqis were killed or found dead in attacks throughout the country, including five civilians shot to death in separate attacks in Diyala province northeast of the capital. Officials also said the director of the Sunni Endowment for mosques in Diyala, Fouad Mahmoud Attaya, was abducted earlier this week by gunmen in Baqouba and an investigation was under way.
A U.S. soldier was shot to death in fighting in the provincial capital of Baqouba, the military said. On Friday, a roadside bomb killed a soldier and wounded three others on a foot patrol south of Baghdad, the military said.
Gunmen abducted a radio newscaster and his driver in a predominantly Sunni neighborhood in western Baghdad, the station's director said.
Karim Manhal, a newscaster with Radio Dijla, and his driver were seized by four masked men in the Jami'a neighborhood near the station's headquarters, director Karim Yousif said. A female staffer who was with them in the car was released, he said.
Radio Dijla, named after the Arabic name for the Tigris River, was created in 2004 as Iraq's first independent talk radio station.
Protesters angry about U.S. policy in Iraq marched by the thousands in Washington and in smaller numbers in other U.S. cities and overseas ahead of Tuesday's four-year anniversary of the Iraq invasion.
"Too many people have died and it doesn't solve anything," said Ann O'Grady, who drove to Washington through snow with her family from Ohio. "I feel bad carrying out my daily activities while people are suffering, Americans and Iraqis."
Australian Prime Minister John Howard, meanwhile, declined to commit to a timeline for withdrawing the country's 1,400 troops from Iraq.
"Great progress has been achieved, but there is still work to be done," Howard said during a news conference with al-Maliki. "As you know, I don't set speculative dates. There is nothing to be achieved by that."
Howard, a staunch U.S. ally, arrived in Baghdad after his plane was forced to make an emergency landing in southeastern Iraq because it filled with smoke, according to the Australian Associated Press. No one was injured.
I wonder if Al-Queda attacked "the office of a Sunni tribal leader opposed to al-Qaida". Hmmm... so anyone going to shout praise at a group who blew chemicals to kill and get sick hundreds?
Indeed The American's Should have done something to help Iraq Out.
America should have done something before thinking of war on an unarmed country
America should have done something when three Lawyers who appreared for the Late Saddam Hussain were killed....
America should have done something before hanging a Ruler of a nation without taking him into world court
America should have done something when they discovered the Nasty action performed in Abu Garib Prison
America should have done something when they saw an american soldier plead guilty for his rape on an Iraqi Child.
America should have done something when they took over the Oil wealth of a Nation Which is still under Terror and yet not returned to it's normal life
America should have done something when they kill more and more innocents in the name of Friendly Firing
Due you still think America should have done something ................
Instead America was the one that did All these things and still continuing their Services on Sucking down a nation and it's people.
Where even the So Called rights of a nation was totally ambushed
And yet it's thirst Grows more and more like some kind of Monsters Thirst for Blood
I knew the Constitution is not just a bunch of Power people who work around
but it was a constitution made by the people so Who Really need to do something is the citizens of America
By trying to help those people in Iraq in any means.
At the same time forming their unity against this Ruthless administration and starting to think to vote for the right guy and also to protest the Criminals in the shield of Politicians
Would I be wrong to think that US may have had a hand in the insurgent attacks from the start? So it would justify them remaining there as long as possible? I speak the truth.
Ėk Gusā Alhu Mėrā
The One Lord, the Lord of the World, is my God Allah.
Dhan Guru Arjan Dev Mahraaj Ji!
Kal Meh Bėḏ Atharbaṇ Hū Nā Kẖuḏā Alhu Bẖa.
In the Dark Age of Kali Yuga, the Atharva Veda became prominent; Allah became the Name of God.
Wat we do here is judging the nations by the current issues
But how many of us over here realize wat was the reason for all these Mess?
Last week i saw a survey on a Weekly Journel and it was about
how far the Iraqi citizens feel Secured about the current situation over there
and it was 95% of the total Survey participants who said they feel insecured and said they are moving each day with Fear
Which was 45-50% during the time of Late Saddam Hussein's Regime
Let me get it straight If a house you live is abducted by a stranger and the law say they couldn't help you wat will be your next move
Will you leave the house just like that and earn once again from the scratch to build your new home.
Since giving opinion is not an issue in today's world Unless and Until it is not based upon you.
So What we must do now is try to help those people to regain their rights and not jus commenting and giving ideas and thought on Isuues that we don't see in person the Media Does Make up many stories
Even they knew they can't stand against a Government
Yeh, very true, they should have used their brains and stayed our of Iraq.
Right. Maybe the Americans should have stayed out of Kuwait, too. Then left Saddam Hussein in power to continue to destabilize the mideast.
Right. The Americans must have something to do with the insurgency that is killing Americans, too. Unbelievable someone would think that.
And the Americans should have done something to prevent the Sunni against Shiite violence every time it happens. What do you suggest? Locking all Iraqis in their homes so no one can get out?
Justice is not a word that should be used to to Gain power and eliminate your enimies
Instead Justice is a word which is used to help the people to regain their rights.
Do u say America Helped Afgan for justice which is now a world's first wealthy nation to produce Illegal Drugs under the indirect Insight of American Landlords and Mob's
Do u say America helped Kuwait for justice which was once a really devoted religious country where now women are moving out with western cultured Dressing and Prostution has been rooted and most who indulge in these are Western nation's Woman.
Do u say America helped Iraq for justice where the Son of Soil are already Burried in the same soil and wat is left there is poor people who cannot even defend their own lives.
Do u say America helped Japan for Justice by Dropping an Atomic Bomb and also made Japan sign a treaty that it would never be allowed to produce nuclear weapons.
Do u say America helped Thailand for Justice which was condemned not just by it's allies but by all the nations around the world.
Come on Bro Wake-up
Wake-up From the Flashy Lifestyle and Look down on the other side your Beloved nation.
If there was an Issue in your home you will be one taking care of it and why do u don't intend to do it with your beloved nation.
Don't you understand the difference that's happening around you.
Please Do a research before answering any Question.
These things discussed over here are not just statements from any story books or dialogues from Movies that you Enjoy.
Instead they are the Real Incidents happening around you.
Can't you hear the Cry and Blood bath of So many innocent Childrens who are the future of each and every nation.
Can't you hear the Cry of Harrassed women before their own family.
Don't you really knew the life history so the So-Called Terrorist Osama bin Laden to Whom America first Gave Weapons to eliminate their Enemies....
Pretending that nothing happened never really helps anyone....
Re: Chemicals attacks against tribal leader opposed to Al-Queda sicken hundreds Iraqi
So the drug trade is under the running of American landlords. Right.
We went into Kuwait because Saddam Hussein invaded it. Did you not see the reports of what the Iraqi army was doing after they went in there?
We went into Iraq and took out Saddam's oppressive governement. And now some people there are vying for power for their little groups rather then taking advantage of the opportunity to install a government that will be on people can live under without fear.
We dropped the bomb on Japan rather than more people losing their lives as the allies would have island hopped into Japan and finally conducted an invasion.
The US is certainly not perfect. On that we agree. But the US is not the great evil you portray it to be.
Re: Chemicals attacks against tribal leader opposed to Al-Queda sicken hundreds Iraqi
"Don't you really knew the life history so the So-Called Terrorist Osama bin Laden to Whom America first Gave Weapons to eliminate their Enemies...."
I am very aware of the US support of the Afghan resistance against Russia. However, there is nothing "so-called" about bin laden's terrorist activities.
Re: Chemicals attacks against tribal leader opposed to Al-Queda sicken hundreds Iraqi
format_quote Originally Posted by don532
The US is certainly not perfect. On that we agree. But the US is not the great evil you portray it to be.
I never Said the US is Evil My Brother u took me All wrong.
If a few fishermen drown on sea then thus that mean the sea is Evil.
It's not like that...
The Country that was formed in such a way to help the people in any means.
This way one of the points held on the U.S. Legilature when a set of laws were created...
The point is the Government which is Ruling takes it in that way.
U can see the movies and Serials Potray Texas People as Cowboy's alsways with guns and who wish to fight . Do u feel it in that way i really don't think so...
and the same thing also happened to us Muslims.
when one group of people where fighting to refrain their home town and
One was indulging in some terror activities and
one set who strictly followed the rules of the religion in all aspects and lived peacefully
And when the casualties of the Terror group was great the world clubbed all the muslims into one category as terrorist and they started to attack us in all means.
U know what happened after 9/11 in India the people who were interested in social welfare and who were political threat to some politicians were grouped as Muslim terrorists and Jailed
This is not the case with just India but with all Muslim's all over the world.
yet we still survive.
and when it was a work of an terrorist group why didn't they aimed on that specific group but on one specific community.
and did any of our Muslim brothers aimed on any specific group of people for the fault of a certain state or country.
U can still see the people who fight with U.S Force in Iraq really would Appreciate U.S if it would help those people to reconstruct Iraq without it's armed men but by employing some non profitable associations and organisations in such a way to employ Iraqi people build their own town
so the people in Iraq will get work and also they could also reconstruct the whole country.
How do u think the people will return to normal life when there are Armed men and Battle Tanks roaming around their country.
Peace was never achieved in Gun point and that's the reason why the used flowers and birds to reflect peace.
All i ask don't make Iraq as a Historical place by burrying more and more graves on that land instead let it once again Bloom.
Do u think if a set of armed men are roaming on your streets will really make u feel secured. will your children play in roads and will they all feel free and independent on such a condition.....
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