This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/middle_east/6202108.stm
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Triple car bombing kill 40 Iraqis | |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| At least 40 people have been killed in three car bomb blasts in the centre of the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, police say. | |
| More than 80 were wounded when the three cars exploded in quick succession in a busy shopping area of the city. | More than 80 were wounded when the three cars exploded in quick succession in a busy shopping area of the city. |
| The violence came as Iraqi and US forces raided insurgent strongholds in the city of Baquba, arresting more than 30 suspected insurgents. | The violence came as Iraqi and US forces raided insurgent strongholds in the city of Baquba, arresting more than 30 suspected insurgents. |
| Meanwhile, a top Shia leader who is due to meet President Bush rejected calls for an international forum on Iraq. | |
| Abdel Aziz al-Hakim, the leader of the Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq (Sciri), described the suggestion by United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan as "unrealistic, incorrect and illegal". | Abdel Aziz al-Hakim, the leader of the Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq (Sciri), described the suggestion by United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan as "unrealistic, incorrect and illegal". |
| Market blast | Market blast |
| The blasts come only two days after US President George W Bush met Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki to discuss ways of tackling the sectarian violence. | |
| The explosions occurred in the predominately Shia al-Sadriya area of the city. | The explosions occurred in the predominately Shia al-Sadriya area of the city. |
| The bombs were about 100m apart and exploded almost simultaneously, police Lt Ali Muhsin told the Associated Press news agency. | The bombs were about 100m apart and exploded almost simultaneously, police Lt Ali Muhsin told the Associated Press news agency. |
| A witness said the blasts struck a vegetable market packed with women shoppers. | A witness said the blasts struck a vegetable market packed with women shoppers. |
| "The first explosion shook the area and a large piece of shrapnel landed near me. I saw people carrying bodies and dazed people running in all directions," the witness told Reuters news agency. | "The first explosion shook the area and a large piece of shrapnel landed near me. I saw people carrying bodies and dazed people running in all directions," the witness told Reuters news agency. |
| Elsewhere in and around Baghdad nine people were killed on Saturday, including a policeman who died when gunmen opened fire on a checkpoint outside west Baghdad's main Yarmouk hospital, Reuters news agency reported. | Elsewhere in and around Baghdad nine people were killed on Saturday, including a policeman who died when gunmen opened fire on a checkpoint outside west Baghdad's main Yarmouk hospital, Reuters news agency reported. |
| Iraqi police are also investigating a crash south of Baghdad that left some 20 people dead and several injured. | Iraqi police are also investigating a crash south of Baghdad that left some 20 people dead and several injured. |
| A truck travelling at high speed ploughed into commuters waiting at busy bus station. | A truck travelling at high speed ploughed into commuters waiting at busy bus station. |
| Conference 'unacceptable' | Conference 'unacceptable' |
| UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said last week that it could be helpful to hold an international conference outside Iraq bringing together all the country's political parties to discuss ways of halting the escalating violence. | UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said last week that it could be helpful to hold an international conference outside Iraq bringing together all the country's political parties to discuss ways of halting the escalating violence. |
| Mr Hakim said Iraq's problems must be solved at home | Mr Hakim said Iraq's problems must be solved at home |
| But Mr Hakim said Iraq's problems needed to be solved at home, adding that only the government of Prime Minister Nouri Maliki was qualified to find a solution to the conflict because it had been democratically elected. | But Mr Hakim said Iraq's problems needed to be solved at home, adding that only the government of Prime Minister Nouri Maliki was qualified to find a solution to the conflict because it had been democratically elected. |
| "This government was formed on the basis of a coalition and it is therefore unacceptable for the Iraqi people that these questions should be debated at international conferences," said Mr Hakim, whose group holds a majority of seats in the Iraqi parliament and has close ties with Iran. | "This government was formed on the basis of a coalition and it is therefore unacceptable for the Iraqi people that these questions should be debated at international conferences," said Mr Hakim, whose group holds a majority of seats in the Iraqi parliament and has close ties with Iran. |
| Its former military wing has been accused of involvement in sectarian violence. | Its former military wing has been accused of involvement in sectarian violence. |
| Mr Hakim is due to meet Mr Bush in Washington on Monday to discuss ways of ending the violence. |