On July 7, a truck exploded in the Iraqi town of Amerli. Estimates of causalities vary; however the local police reported 140 people are dead, 20 are missing, and more than 270 were injured. The truck carried over two tons of explosives and was set off during the busy hours of the local market. The explosion left a twelve foot crater and destroyed more than 50 houses and 45 shops. Many of the causalities resulted from inhabitants being crushed as the buildings collapsed. Rescuers worked to remove victims from the rubble and to transport the injured to hospitals.
While no group has claimed responsibility for the bomb, government officials, both Iraqi and American, blame Sunni insurgents, like Al Qaeda in Mesopotamia.
In addition to this attack, the past two days saw an increase in violence across all of Iraq. On July 8, another car bomb exploded in the town of Haswa, located 30 miles west of Baghdad; killing 20 new army recruits and wounding 27 others. Two more car bombs exploded in Baghdad on July 9, killing twelve and wounding 35.
In addition, 29 unidentified bodies have been found in Baghdad on July 8; among them were the bodies of twelve abducted factory workers. Officials believe that the workers were on their way home when Shia militants stopped the vehicle and then separated the Sunni workers from their Shia colleagues. Of the group that was abducted, nine are still missing.
The recent increase in violence caused some Iraqi lawmakers to call for civilians to be given weapons and training to protect themselves. Prior to July 7, local officials and residents of Amerli asked for an increased police force to provide protection against such attacks. Many citizens are frustrated with the lack of security against sectarian violence. Abbas al-Bayati, a Shiite Turkoman lawmaker, stated that in the absence of effective policing, residents should be able to take up arms and provide their own protection.
These sentiments were echoed by Sunni Arab vice president, Tariq al-Hashemi. He stated that when the police and army are unable to protect civilians, that they have the right to defend themselves. This idea has had a mixed reception among Iraqis. Some Iraqis are frustrated by the lack of protection and feel that they cannot count on Iraqi police to provide the necessary security. Others fear that arming civilians would lead to more sectarian violence and thereby decrease overall security.
For more information please see:
BBC: “Abducted Iraqi Sunnis found dead” 9 July 2007.
CNN: “12 killed in Baghdad area attacks” 9 July 2007.
The Independent: “Iraqi politicians call on civilians to arm themselves” 9 July 2007.
Washington Post: “In Iraqi hamlet, ‘a funeral service in every house’” 9 July 2007.
BBC: “Iraqi PM slams ‘heinous’ bombers” 8 July 2007.
NY Times: “Around 150, death toll in Iraq attack among the war’s worst” 8 July 2007.
Reuters: “Iraq truck bomb death toll may be 150” 8 July 2007.
Al Jazeera: “‘More than 150’ dead in Iraq blast” 7 July 2007.
CNN: “At least 117 killing in Iraqi village market blast” 7 July 2007.
