Bombs rock Baghdad as unity Govt crumbles
IRAQ: Thunderous car bombings echoed around Baghdad on
Wednesday, killing at least 70 people, as Iraq’s national unity
coalition collapsed under the weight of sectarian tensions.
New government figures also revealed civilian deaths in the country
rose by one third last month, dealing a further blow to a five-month-old
security plan designed to stabilise Baghdad and allow for
reconciliation.
Three large bombs tore through crowded districts of the capital,
leaving at least 70 people dead and feeding the communal bitterness that
has undermined Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki’s US-backed government.
In the largest blast, a truck bomb detonated near a filling station
in the west of the city, setting fire to a huge fuel tank, killing at
least 50 people and wounding at least 60 more, Iraqi security officials
said. given first aid then sent on to other hospitals,” he said.
As explosions rumbled across the city, ministers from the Concord
Front, Iraq’s largest Sunni bloc, resigned from the ruling coalition and
effectively ended its claim to be a government of national unity.
“The Front announces its withdrawal from the government of Nuri al-Maliki
and the deputy prime minister and the ministers will submit their
resignation today,” said Rafie al-Issawi, minister of state for foreign
affairs.
Sunni Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi will keep his job and the
bloc’s 44 parliamentarians will return to the National Assembly in
September after its summer recess, when they will swell the growing
ranks of the opposition.
The Front has accused the government of failing to rein in Shiite
militias and of the arbitrary arrest and detention of Sunnis, but
leaders seemed to leave the door open for future discussions.
“Our central and historic goal is reform. We will reconsider the
withdrawal tomorrow if they review our demands,” Hashemi said.
Maliki’s government is currently under intense pressure to make use
of the space afforded by a five-month-old “surge” of US troops to hammer
out political agreements between the rival factions.
In a video-conference call with US President George W. Bush, the
weakened prime minister stressed dialogue with the Concord Front would
continue and that his shrinking coalition would make every effort in the
name of national unity.
“Dialogue with the brothers in the Concord Front will not stop
despite their announcement of withdrawal from the government,” his
office quoted him as telling Bush.
“The coalition will make every effort to consider positively all
suggestions that serve the higher interests of the people and improve
national unity.”
Baghdad, Thursday, AFP |