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'Scores die' in Iraq bomb attacks Deadly Iraq sect attacks kill 200
(about 2 hours later)
At least 175 people have been killed in a series of suicide bomb attacks in northern Iraq, Iraq's military says. At least 200 people have been killed in a series of bombings apparently aimed at a Kurdish religious minority group in northern Iraq, officials say.
The blasts apparently targeted a Kurdish religious minority, the Yazidi sect, near Mosul. At least four blasts hit areas which house the community. Some 200 more were reported injured as at least four blasts hit areas home to the Yazidi sect near the city of Mosul.
A Mosul police source told the BBC that there had been "large loss of life". The deadly attack was one of the most lethal insurgent strikes in more than four years of war in Iraq.
The White House condemned the bombings as "barbaric attacks on innocent civilians", and expressed sympathy for the families of the victims. The US called the bombings "barbaric", while a Kurdish official said Baghdad had failed to protect the Yazidi.
"We will continue to work with the Iraqi government and the Iraqi security forces to stabilise the country and beat back these vicious and heartless murderers," the White House said in a statement. In a statement, the White House insisted US forces and the Iraqi government would continue to "beat back" the "vicious and heartless murderers".
The BBC's Richard Galpin, in Baghdad, says that with the Americans concentrating on their military effort in the capital, officials fear the insurgents are moving into new areas where they can attack so-called soft targets.The BBC's Richard Galpin, in Baghdad, says that with the Americans concentrating on their military effort in the capital, officials fear the insurgents are moving into new areas where they can attack so-called soft targets.
200 injured Because of the inaction of the government in Baghdad and their inability to protect the population they are suffering the way they are now Khaled SalihKurdistan Regional Government class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/6293230.stm">Iraq's minorities threatened A spokesman for the Kurdistan regional government, a semi-autonomous authority which governs three northern Iraqi provinces, described the Yazidi as a "threatened minority" and said Kurdish forces might have protected them from harm.
Tensions between the Yazidi sect and local Muslims have grown since a Yazidi girl was reportedly stoned by her community in April for converting to Islam. "We would certainly be able to improve security if we were allowed to operate in that area," Khaled Salih told the BBC.
Officials said at least one of the attacks in the villages of al-Qahtaniya and al-Adnaniya involved a fuel tanker. "But because of the inaction of the government in Baghdad and their inability to protect the population they are suffering the way they are now," he added.
Digging for bodies
Tuesday's co-ordinated bombings in the villages of Qataniya and Adnaniya involved a fuel tanker and three cars, officials said.
"My friend and I were thrown high in the air. I still don't know what happened to him," Khadir Shamu, a 30-year-old Yazidi, told the Associated Press news agency.
MAJOR ATTACKS IN 2007 14 August: At least 175 reported dead in attacks on Yazidi sect near Mosul16 July: At least 85 die in twin bombings in Kirkuk7 July: 130 killed in Amirli market bombing19 June: At least 78 die in Baghdad mosque blast18 April: Up to 200 killed in car bombings in Baghdad6 March: At least 90 killed in double suicide bombing in Hilla3 Feb: At least 130 die in suicide lorry blast in Baghdad22 Jan: 88 killed by Baghdad car bombsMAJOR ATTACKS IN 2007 14 August: At least 175 reported dead in attacks on Yazidi sect near Mosul16 July: At least 85 die in twin bombings in Kirkuk7 July: 130 killed in Amirli market bombing19 June: At least 78 die in Baghdad mosque blast18 April: Up to 200 killed in car bombings in Baghdad6 March: At least 90 killed in double suicide bombing in Hilla3 Feb: At least 130 die in suicide lorry blast in Baghdad22 Jan: 88 killed by Baghdad car bombs
Up to 200 other people were hurt in the blasts, which destroyed or set fire to a number of buildings. The mayor of Sinjal, a nearby town, said he expected the final death toll to rise.
The attacks are among the worst carried out in Iraq during the insurgency. "We are still digging with our hands and shovels because we can't use cranes because many of the houses were built of clay," Dhakil Qassim told AP.
Members of the Yazidi community worship an archangel, sometimes represented by a peacock figure. Some Christians and Muslims believe the angel they revere to be the devil. "We are expecting to reach the final death toll tomorrow or [the] day after tomorrow as we are getting only pieces of bodies.
Elsewhere, five US service personnel were killed when their helicopter came down near Falluja, west of Baghdad. Tensions between the Yazidi sect and local Muslims have grown since a Yazidi girl was reportedly stoned by her community in April for converting to Islam.
The US said it was still investigating the cause of the crash, but the CH-47 Chinook had been on a test flight after routine maintenance. The sect is due to vote later alongside other Kurds outside the Kurdish autonomous region in a referendum on joining the grouping.
The US had already announced the deaths of four other soldiers in two separate incidents in Nineveh province and Baghdad. Correspondents say the planned referendum makes northern Iraq's Kurds a target for politically-motivated attacks.
A separate suicide bomb attack on a Baghdad bridge, meanwhile, sent cars plunging into the water and killed at least 10 people, Iraqi police said. Yazidis worship an archangel, sometimes represented by a peacock figure believed by some Christians and Muslims to be the devil.
The Thiraa Dijla bridge in Taji lies on the main road from Baghdad to Mosul.
Fresh attacks
In another insurgent attack in the capital, some 50 gunmen in uniform were reported to have kidnapped a deputy oil minister and several other officials.
Reports said the men stormed an oil ministry compound in the capital in 17 official vehicles.
The US military also said on Tuesday that its troops had killed four gunmen in Baghdad's Sadr City. But local officials said three civilians died in the raid.
They said one of the victims was a young girl sleeping with her family on the roof.
The US military denied killing any civilians in the raid.
Political move
Separately, three Iraqi ministers from the mixed Sunni-Shia Iraqi National List of former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi unexpectedly attended a government session.
They were among five ministers who last week began the boycott of Nouri Maliki's government over what they said was its failure to end sectarian violence.
The move comes as politicians from some of Iraq's main political parties are holding informal talks ahead of a summit called this week by Mr Maliki to try to resolve their differences.