Attacks surge in Iraq despite curfew (AP) Updated: 2006-02-25 22:09
BAGHDAD, Iraq - A car bomb exploded in a Shiite holy city and 13 members of
one Shiite family were gunned down northeast of the capital Saturday in a surge
of attacks that killed at least 30 people despite heightened security aimed at
curbing sectarian violence following the bombing of a revered Shiite shrine.
At least one more Sunni mosque was attacked in Baghdad on Saturday after
two rockets were fired at a Shiite mosque in Tuz Khormato, north of the capital,
the previous night. Shooting also broke out near the home of a prominent Sunni
cleric as the funeral procession for an Al-Arabiya TV correspondent slain in
sectarian violence was passing by. Police believed the procession was the
target.
The violence occurred despite an extraordinary daytime curfew in Baghdad and
three surrounding provinces. Stretched security forces could not be everywhere
to contain attacks that have killed more than 150 people since Wednesday's
shrine bombing and pushed Iraq to the brink of civil war.
Political and religious leaders were anxious to contain the violence
unleashed by extremists on both sides, which have frozen efforts to form a new
government that Washington considers essential if it is to reduce U.S. troop
levels this year.
On Saturday, the interior minister announced a 24-hour ban on all vehicular
movements in Baghdad and its suburbs starting at 6 a.m. Sunday, in an effort
contain sectarian violence following the bombing of a Shiite shrine three days
ago in Samarra.
Interior Minister Bayan Jabr made the announcement during a press conference
broadcast live by government television. The announcement came on the second
straight day of a daylight curfew in Baghdad and three surrounding provinces.
Jabr said the daytime curfew will be lifted in the three provinces but said
"there will be a ban on all vehicles inside Baghdad and its outskirts starting
on Sunday Feb. 26, 2006 at 6 in the morning until 6 in the morning the following
day."
The main Sunni Arab political bloc said Saturday it "will not hesitate to
reconsider" its decision to pull out of coalition talks if Prime Minister
Ibrahim al-Jaafari, a Shiite, follows through on promises to ease the crisis.
In a statement Friday, al-Jaafari pledged to rebuild the Shiite shrine that
was wrecked in Samarra as well as Sunni mosques damaged in reprisal attacks. He
also launched an investigation to establish responsibility for the Samarra
bombing "and what followed."
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