Four Iraqis killed during protest

[NeoConsSuck]

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2004-04-04-protest_x.htm

NAJAF, Iraq (AP) — At least four Iraqis, including two soldiers, were killed Sunday during a protest outside a Spanish military garrison, witnesses and a hospital worker said. At least 30 people were injured.

Gunfire rang out after thousands of supporters of an anti-American Muslim cleric gathered outside the headquarters of Spanish troops in the southern holy city of Najaf.

Witnesses saw four bodies at al-Zahraa Hospital. A nurse, Saad Abdel-Hussein, said at least 30 people were injured, some seriously.

[NV1962]

1. seems the result of a “communications management” problem

Just picked this up from the Spanish newspaper El Mundo site: radio Sawa, apparently US-funded, spread the news that a radical shiia leader was arrested and held by Spanish troops in the city of Najaf. The news was picked up and repeated by other news stations, and the mood got ugly pretty fast. A quickly issued denial, via a press release by the Spanish-led international Plus Ultra II brigade, didn't help to calm things down. Neither did a separate statement confirming his detention by “allied troops” -- without specifying which troops or who held him in custody -- through a spokesman of the (combined) allied forces.

When finally sentiments boiled over and an angry mob attempted to attack the heavily guarded HQ of the Spanish soldiers, they eventually ran into gunfire - resulting in at least three dead Iraqis, and probably dozens of others wounded.

But this story isn't over yet - thousands of angry shiites are gathering at this moment in Bagdad, front of the US-led provisional authority HQ in the so-called “green zone” so it's not unlikely that things will become much more bloody.

All this thanks to a colossal fuck-up in communications management.

[Crunchy Frog]

2. Things seem to be deteriorating

pretty rapidly in the south, and among the Shia areas, over the past couple of weeks. These areas have been fairly peaceful up until now. It looks like the "honeymoon" may be coming to an end.

This whole war is a colossal fuck up.

[saigon68]

17. The Resistance Forces are coming out.

An Iraqi man armed with a Kalashnikov rifle takes cover after clashes broke out with U.S. forces in the impoverished Baghdad suburb of Al Sadr City April 4, 2004. REUTERS/Ceerwan Aziz



Al-Sadr's self-styled militiamen from the al-Mahdi Army, speed away from clashes with coalition forces to take a wounded man to the hospital in Kufa, Iraq (news - web sites), Sunday April 4, 2004. (AP Photo/Khalid Mohammed)




Crowds of protesters, including members of the Mehdi Army, a banned Iraqi militia that supports radical anti-American cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, march on a Spanish garrison near Kufa April 4, 2004. At least 19 people were killed and more than 100 wounded in clashes between Spanish-led forces and Iraqi protesters and militiamen near the city of Najaf Sunday, hospital officials said. REUTERS/Ali Abu Shish

[Cooley Hurd]

3. Morning kick

:kick:

[Judi Lynn]

4. Strange photo with the article. Thanks for the info.

Quite a noticeable crowd showed up!

[dArKeR]

6. Is there an original larger pic? Link?

Thanks.

[zwielicht]

5. at least 20 dead, 150 wounded

http://reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=4744206&pageNumber=0

how brainwashed have you got to be to obey a command to shoot into a crowd???

[dArKeR]

7. 18 Killed During Iraq Protest - CBS

Gunmen opened fire on the Spanish garrison in the holy city of Najaf on Sunday during a huge demonstration by followers of an anti-American Shiite Muslim cleric. Four Salvadoran soldiers and at least 14 Iraqis died, and more than 130 people were wounded.

Two U.S. Marines died in violence in Anbar province, bringing to 600 the number of Americans killed in the war. Anbar is an enormous stretch of land reaching to the Jordanian and Syrian borders west of Baghdad that includes Fallujah, a city where four American civilians were slain on Wednesday.

Later in Baghdad gunfire was heard in the center of the capital during a similar protest called by backers of the charismatic young cleric, Muqtada al-Sadr. There was no immediate word on casualties.

North of the capital, a bomb killed three members of the Iraqi security forces. And in Kirkuk, also in the north, a car bomb exploded, killing three civilians and wounding two others, police said.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/02/24/iraq/main541815.shtml

[dArKeR]

8. 20 die in Najaf clashes - News24

Najaf - At least 20 Iraqis have been killed and about 150 wounded after Spanish-led coalition troops fired on protesters in the Iraqi city of Najaf.

Reporters said troops fired from several directions, prompting clashes between the troops and militiamen loyal to a radical Shi'ite cleric.

The protests had erupted over the arrest of an aide to the cleric, Moqtada al-Sadr.

http://www.news24.com/News24/World/News/0,,2-10-1462_1508011,00.html

[saigon68]

12. This is not good

[dArKeR]

9. TGM reports Iraqis shot and killed 18 wounded 130 of their own?

— Gunmen opened fire on the Spanish garrison in the holy city of Najaf Sunday, killing at least 18 people.

At least 14 Iraqis died, including two soldiers and another 130 were injured.

http://theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20040404.wiraq0404/BNStory/Front/

Isn't 'injured' something that happens to Tennis players?

[Aidoneus]

10. it would appear that the Spanish occupation forces should leave soon

It is likely that if they don't, they will not be allowed to leave later except in a bag. They have given away their safety with the provocation of kidnapping Sheikh Yaqubi and carrying out this massacre.

[momwarnedme]

13. given away their safety ?

When did they have any safety and why would they be any safer than US troops? What massacre are you referring to? Defending ones position under attack is not what I would call a massacre. I'm sure they could have mowed down hundreds of charging jihadists if they wanted to.

[zwielicht]

11. death toll still rising: 25 dead

among them 4 soldiers, 3 from El Salvador and one american

bloody sunday....

[alcuno]

14. I pray for them all.

I have nothing sarcastic to say.

[NV1962]

15. in Najaf 2 soldiers died: one from El Salvador, another from the US

According to El Mundo: at least 16 Iraqis died and possibly over 200 wounded during clashes of Shiite militia attacking the Al Andalus base (HQ of the Spanish-led Plus Ultra II brigade) in Najaf.

A statement from the Spanish Defense Ministry denies (again, adding to the denial issued yesterday by the local Spanish commander in Najaf) that any member of the Plus Ultra II brigade participated in the arrest of the Shiite leader, which sparked off the wave of violent protests that now has spread throughout Iraq.

The local HQ of the Provisional Authority in Najaf was also attacked.

Furthermore, El Mundo reports clashes with British troops in the city of Amara, where 4 Iraqis died and 8 were wounded. In Baghdad, 2 Iraqis were killed and 7 others wounded in clashes with US troops there; reports from NBC indicate 7 US soldiers died there. Angry protests were also reported in Basra and Nassarija, where Italian troops opened fire.

Things are deteriorating quickly in Iraq, and I'm afraid that we're looking at a rapid progression towards civil war.

What a mess.

[NV1962]

16. Car bomb in Kirkuk: 3 dead, 2 wounded

(source)