Scores killed and wounded as violence escalates in Iraq
{{date|June 20, 2005}}

<!-- comment out image deleted on commons. [[Image:Fallujah kids.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Children in Fallujah]] -->
Intense violent turmoil in [[Iraq]] continued Sunday and Monday when attacks across the country killed more than 80 people.  A busy restaurant frequented by police officers was the target of the deadliest attack: a suicide bombing that claimed 23 lives and wounded more than 36 others.  

"There were a number of policemen outside the restaurant having tea from Alaa, the tea man. There were two tables with chairs around them where the policemen were sitting. Then a suicide bomber came close to them and blew himself up," said a 29-year-old witness, Qusay Kaabi, according to the {{w|Washington Post}}.  "It was a very loud explosion, and the restaurant was filled with smoke and dust."

The [[New York Times]] reported that, in an aura of resignation, older men just 80 yards away resumed curbside games of checkers even before workers finished cleaning away chunks of flesh.  "It's Iraqis who die like this, not Americans," Muhammad Jasem, 25 and unemployed, told the Times. "We never saw this kind of thing before they came."  In the capital city alone, more than 600 civilians have perished in the six weeks since Prime Minister {{w|Ibrahim al-Jaafari}} named his [[Shiite]]-led cabinet on April 28.

In {{w|Tikrit}} on Sunday, a man killed himself and five Iraqis while targeting a U.S. military base in a car rigged with explosives.  Early Monday, a suicide attacker in {{w|Ibril}} detonated his vehicle in a crowd of police recruits.  Local officials confirm the blast killed 15 and wounded 100, some severely.  The city was cited just yesterday by Foreign Minister {{w|Hoshyar Zebari}} as one of many relatively stable areas of the country.

The surge in violence has occurred while {{w|U.S. Marines}} and Iraqi troops battle insurgents near {{w|Karabilah}} on the [[Syria]]n border.  {{w|Royal Air Force|British}} and {{w|USAF|American}} warplanes pounded targets to support a 1,000 Marine force.  A Marine statement also said patrols in the devastated city of {{w|Fallujah}} came under attack Sunday.  According to the statement, 15 insurgents were killed while the attack was repulsed.  

{{haveyoursay}}
== Sources ==
*{{source|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/19/AR2005061900733.html|title=Bomber in Baghdad Hits Police Hangout|author=Andy Mosher and Naseer Nouri|pub=Washington Post|date=June 20, 2005}}
*{{source|url=http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/wire/ats-ap_top10jun20,1,2658.story?coll=la-ap-topnews-headlines|title=Suicide Bomber Kills 15 at Iraq Police HQ|author=Yahya Barzanji|pub=Los Angeles Times|date=June 20, 2005}}
*{{source|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/20/international/middleeast/20iraq.html|title=Bombings and Shootings Leave 30 Dead in Baghdad|author=Sabrina Tavernise, contributor|pub=New York Times|date=June 20, 2005}}

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[[Category:Middle East]]
[[Category:Iraq]]
[[Category:Politics and conflicts]]
[[Category:Baghdad]]
[[Category:New York Times]]
[[Category:Shia Islam]]
[[Category:Suicide attacks]]
Intense violent turmoil in Iraq continued Sunday and Monday when attacks across the country killed more than 80 people.  A busy restaurant frequented by police officers was the target of the deadliest attack: a suicide bombing that claimed 23 lives and wounded more than 36 others.  

"There were a number of policemen outside the restaurant having tea from Alaa, the tea man. There were two tables with chairs around them where the policemen were sitting. Then a suicide bomber came close to them and blew himself up," said a 29-year-old witness, Qusay Kaabi, according to the .  "It was a very loud explosion, and the restaurant was filled with smoke and dust."

The New York Times reported that, in an aura of resignation, older men just 80 yards away resumed curbside games of checkers even before workers finished cleaning away chunks of flesh.  "It's Iraqis who die like this, not Americans," Muhammad Jasem, 25 and unemployed, told the Times. "We never saw this kind of thing before they came."  In the capital city alone, more than 600 civilians have perished in the six weeks since Prime Minister  named his Shiite-led cabinet on April 28.

In Ibril detonated his vehicle in a crowd of police recruits.  Local officials confirm the blast killed 15 and wounded 100, some severely.  The city was cited just yesterday by Foreign Minister  as one of many relatively stable areas of the country.

The surge in violence has occurred while Karabilah on the Syrian border.  British and American warplanes pounded targets to support a 1,000 Marine force.  A Marine statement also said patrols in the devastated city of  came under attack Sunday.  According to the statement, 15 insurgents were killed while the attack was repulsed.
Middle East Iraq Politics and conflicts Baghdad New York Times Shia Islam Suicide attacks