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Iraqi governor hit in twin blasts Iraqi governor hit in twin blasts
(about 1 hour later)
At least 23 people have died in two suicide bombs in the same street in Ramadi, provincial capital of Anbar. At least 23 people, mostly police, have died and about 60 have been injured in two suicide bombs in the same street in Ramadi, provincial capital of Anbar.
Anbar Governor Qassim Mohammed was injured; initial reports that he had been killed have been denied. Anbar Governor Qassim Mohammed was injured. Initial reports said he died.
The bombers set off the devices after driving into a heavily protected area of the city. One attacker was wearing army uniform, said a report. Police said the first bomber was in a car and the second was on foot, wearing army uniform, in the attacks on a heavily protected area of the city.
Analysts have blamed recent attacks in Iraq on al-Qaeda trying to destabilise the country ahead of March elections.Analysts have blamed recent attacks in Iraq on al-Qaeda trying to destabilise the country ahead of March elections.
A suicide bomber wearing an army uniform ran towards the governor Ahmed Mohammed DulaimiPolice captain class="" href="/2/hi/middle_east/8301337.stm">Trio of blasts strikes Iraqi city ANALYSIS Jim Muir, BBC News, Baghdad
Police say a suicide attacker in a car triggered Wednesday's first blast on the main road near the provincial administration buildings. The attacks were aimed at provincial government buildings, and many of the casualties were police or officials.
Soon afterwards, another bomber struck while on foot nearby, according to police. Eighteen policemen, including some senior officers, were reported to be among those who died.
"A suicide bomber wearing an army uniform ran towards the governor," police Captain Ahmed Mohammed Dulaimi told AFP news agency. Ramadi was once a stronghold of the Sunni insurgency until tribes turned against al-Qaeda and sided with the Americans and Baghdad government.
"Some security people held him back, and he detonated himself." That brought a period of quiet to the province, but there has been a mounting number of attacks in recent months, possibly linked to the approach of March's elections.
The deputy police chief was among security officials killed in the co-ordinated attack. Up to 18 of those killed in Wednesday's twin attack were police officers, including a deputy chief of police.
The governor was injured in the second explosion, after he came out of his office to inspect damage from the initial blast. Police say a suicide bomber in a car triggered the first blast on the main road near the provincial administration buildings.
Dr Ahmed Abid Mohammed told the Associated Press news agency the governor had suffered burns to his face and injuries to his abdomen. The governor was injured in the follow-up blast, after he came out of his office to inspect damage from the initial bomb.
The second attacker, wearing a suicide vest under what appeared to be an Iraqi army uniform, blew himself up as he ran into the crowd around the governor, said police.
The governor suffered burns to his face and injuries to his abdomen, a doctor told the Associated Press news agency.
The attacks echoed a co-ordinated triple bombing in Ramadi on 11 October, when 22 people were killed and more than 60 wounded.The attacks echoed a co-ordinated triple bombing in Ramadi on 11 October, when 22 people were killed and more than 60 wounded.
The BBC's Jim Muir in Baghdad says that while Anbar has been generally quiet, the number of attacks has been rising in recent months, a worrying development in advance of March's general elections. Anbar was the heart of Iraq's Sunni Islamist insurgency following the overthrow of Saddam Hussein, but became relatively secure after tribal leaders turned against al-Qaeda in 2006.
Anbar was the heart of Iraq's Sunni Islamist insurgency following the US-led overthrow of Saddam Hussein, but became relatively secure after local tribal leaders turned against al-Qaeda in 2006. Al-Qaeda are trying to create general anarchy all over the country towards the general election to show how the weak the government is Dr Mowaffak RubaieIraqi MP class="" href="/2/hi/middle_east/8301337.stm">Triple attack on Ramadi, October
The BBC's Jim Muir in Baghdad says while Anbar has been generally quiet, the number of attacks has been rising in recent months, a worrying development in advance of March's general elections.
Despite this, he says general levels of violence in Iraq have fallen a long way.
In November, the number of civilians killed was just 88, compared with more than 3,000 Iraqis killed in the same month three years ago.
Iraqi MP Dr Mowaffak Rubaie told BBC's World Update programme the attacks were al-Qaeda strategy's to sow chaos, after failing to ignite a sectarian war.
He said: "Now they are trying to create general anarchy all over the country… towards the general election. This is to show how weak the government is."