Iraq Watch: February 21, 2006

Car Bomb Rocks Capital City

BAGHDAD, Iraq - In one of the deadliest attacks in recent weeks a car bomb exploded near an outdoor Shiite marketplace in the volatile Dora neighborhood of southwestern Baghdad. The blast, which occurred around 4:45 p.m. killed at least 22 civilians and injured at least 28 others.

Also in the capital Tuesday, two police commandos died and four other people, including three policemen, were wounded in a roadside bombing in southern Baghdad.

Northeast of the capital, in Baqouba, insurgents bombed at least eight hair salons. No causalities were reported but heavy damage to the shops' infrastructure was inflicted. Many extremists consider female hair salons and beauty parlors to be fronts for brothels or bordellos. Also in Baqouba, one person was killed and three wounded when militants attacked three area liquor stores. Alcohol is considered haram, or forbidden, by the vast majority of Muslims.

Elsewhere, near Beiji - an industrial city located southwest of Kirkuk - guerillas attacked a major oil refinery killing five guards and abducting plant official Faris Abdul Nabi according to the Washington Post.

In another development, the spokesman for the Sunni National Dialogue Council, Saad Jarallah, was found Tuesday in a Baghdad morgue after reportedly being abducted Friday. Jarallah's killing only increased the already high sectarian tension plaguing the war-torn nation. Khalaf al-Ilyan, the head of the prominent political party said, "After this incident, there is no way for Iraqis but to protect themselves and confront every aggressor."

Responding to comments made yesterday by American ambassador to Iraq, Zalmay Khalilzad, Iraqi President Ibrahim al-Jaafari on Tuesday lashed out at the U.S. power broker in Iraq. Speaking at a press conference in Baghdad al-Jaafari stated, "When someone asks us whether we want a sectarian government the answer is 'no we do not want a sectarian government' - not because the U.S. ambassador says so or issues a warning." The Shiite al-Jaafari went on to say, "We do not need anybody to remind us, thank you."