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Mosques hit amid Baghdad clashes | Mosques hit amid Baghdad clashes |
(about 4 hours later) | |
Gunmen have attacked a Sunni Arab area of Baghdad, burning mosques and homes, with at least 30 people reported killed, according to police officials. | Gunmen have attacked a Sunni Arab area of Baghdad, burning mosques and homes, with at least 30 people reported killed, according to police officials. |
The attacks were in apparent revenge for Thursday's bombings that killed more than 200 people in the Shia Sadr City district of the Iraqi capital. | The attacks were in apparent revenge for Thursday's bombings that killed more than 200 people in the Shia Sadr City district of the Iraqi capital. |
Fleets of vans left Baghdad to take the coffins of those victims for burial in the ancient Shia holy city of Najaf. | |
The latest violence came despite a city-wide curfew and appeals for calm. | The latest violence came despite a city-wide curfew and appeals for calm. |
To add to the Iraqi government's woes, a key Shia group threatened to quit parliament and the cabinet if Prime Minister Nouri Maliki goes ahead with a planned meeting with President Bush next week. | |
It is an outrage that these terrorists are targeting innocents in a brazen effort to topple a democratically elected government White House spokesman | |
There is a real feeling that the situation is moving to the brink amid the cycle of attacks, says the BBC's David Loyn in Baghdad. | There is a real feeling that the situation is moving to the brink amid the cycle of attacks, says the BBC's David Loyn in Baghdad. |
Thursday's bombing and retaliatory attacks were "deplorable", the White House said. | |
"It is an outrage that these terrorists are targeting innocents in a brazen effort to topple a democratically elected government. These killers will not succeed," White House spokesman Scott Stanzel said. | |
Mosques torched | |
A Sunni area in the once-mixed Hurriyah neighbourhood came under attack on Friday when gunmen rampaged through the area, setting four mosques and several houses alight. | |
In pictures: Iraq funerals Who are the armed groups? Send us your comments | In pictures: Iraq funerals Who are the armed groups? Send us your comments |
Iraqi police said some 30 people had been killed, but a defence ministry officials told the French news agency, AFP, that the clashes were so intense that precise information was difficult to obtain. | |
Clashes also erupted in Sadr City on Friday, where residents said a US helicopter fired on militiamen who were launching rocket attacks. | Clashes also erupted in Sadr City on Friday, where residents said a US helicopter fired on militiamen who were launching rocket attacks. |
Violence was also reported in other parts of Baghdad and elsewhere in Iraq, including in the northern town of Talafar where a suspected double suicide bombing killed at least 22 people. | Violence was also reported in other parts of Baghdad and elsewhere in Iraq, including in the northern town of Talafar where a suspected double suicide bombing killed at least 22 people. |
Baghdad has been under an indefinite curfew since Thursday's bombings and the airport remains closed. | |
The security situation has forced Iraqi President Jalal Talabani to postpone a visit to Tehran on Saturday for talks with his Iranian counterpart Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. | |
During the curfew, the only people and vehicles officially allowed on the streets of Baghdad were the residents of Sadr City who began the journey to bury their dead. | |
Thousands of mourners came out onto the streets, walking alongside a seemingly endless fleet of mini-buses, each carrying a coffin on its roof. | |
The bodies were then driven to an ancient cemetery in the holy city of Najaf, the traditional burial place for Shias, 160km (100 miles) south of Baghdad. | |
Political impact | |
Thursday's multiple car bomb attacks in Sadr City - in which 250 people were also wounded - were the deadliest in Iraq since the US-led invasion of 2003. | Thursday's multiple car bomb attacks in Sadr City - in which 250 people were also wounded - were the deadliest in Iraq since the US-led invasion of 2003. |
Moqtada Sadr's group is calling for US forces to leave | |
Sadr City is largely controlled by the Mehdi Army, a Shia Iraqi militias accused of carrying out many sectarian attacks on Sunni areas. | |
Thursday's bombings could have a deep political impact, with the group led by radical cleric Moqtada Sadr calling on Mr Maliki to call off his planned talks with President Bush. | |
People in Sadr City faced insurgent attacks as well as repeated raids by US forces, the group said in a statement. | People in Sadr City faced insurgent attacks as well as repeated raids by US forces, the group said in a statement. |
Mr Sadr's followers hold six cabinet posts and have 30 members in the 275-seat parliament. | Mr Sadr's followers hold six cabinet posts and have 30 members in the 275-seat parliament. |
The withdrawal of the group headed by Mr Sadr would be a major blow to an already unstable government, the BBC's Andy Gallacher in Baghdad says. | The withdrawal of the group headed by Mr Sadr would be a major blow to an already unstable government, the BBC's Andy Gallacher in Baghdad says. |
The meeting with Mr Maliki is due to take place in Jordan, and a White House spokesman said on Friday there had been no changes to Mr Bush's schedule. | The meeting with Mr Maliki is due to take place in Jordan, and a White House spokesman said on Friday there had been no changes to Mr Bush's schedule. |
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