Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
Voice of America is funded by the US Federal Government and content it
exclusively produces is in the public domain.
May 6, 2009

Death Toll Rises After Car Bomb Explosions in Baghdad
-----------------------------------------------------

http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=2414FD3:A6F02AD83191E160FBC6A2F9DF3D23E5E55ED32ED25AB8F6&
 
Police say one bomb went off early Wednesday in a crowded vegetable
market in Baghdad's Doura neighborhood 
Two separate carbombings in Baghdad have claimed at least 11 lives, and
wounded more than 30. Bombings in the past month have Iraqis worried
about the stability of their country, just weeks before U.S. troops are
due to pull out of most Iraqi cities. People gather around a marketplace
damaged in a car bomb explosion in Baghdad, Iraq, 06 May 2009Men picked
through the debris of a car bombing in a Baghdad fruit and vegetable
market in the mostly Sunni-Muslim Dora District. Trucks smoldered as
smashed tomatoes and eggplants littered the once lively market. Looking
dazed and disheveled, bystanders cried out, repeatedly, "It is not
possible. How awful, how awful." One man began pulling dead pigeons from
a smashed crate, throwing the birds back again. Ali, a vegetable vendor
who witnessed the blast, lamented over its aftermath:The truck entered
the market and people were slaughtered. Porters, grocers and farmers do
not deserve to be killed. Police reports say the bomb was hidden in a
truckload of vegetables, waiting to be unloaded. The head of Security
for Baghdad, General Qassim Mohammed Atta told journalists a second bomb
hidden in another truck was dismantled by police before it was
detonated. He said the bombers wanted to use it to cause another wave of
carnage among those who came to the rescue. Eyewitnesses at the market
blast complained that Iraqi security forces were being too lax about
searching cargo trucks carrying produce. One man said they only search
private cars, not farmers who are bringing their produce to market. The
early morning blast was followed hours later by a second explosion in
Baghdad's Karradah district, killing at least one person and wounding
half a dozen others. Interior Ministry spokesman General Abdal-Karim
Khalaf says the bombings will be thoroughly investigated. He says crimes
of this sort demands that we investigate what caused them. The
investigation will begin in detail, he adds, and the justice system will
look into the reasons behind the bombings and who the perpetr
ators are. The bombings followed an extremely bloody month of April in
which 355 Iraqis were reportedly killed. Most of those blasts targeted
predominantly Shi'ite areas, giving rise to fears of a new round of
sectarian fighting. U.S. troops are due to pull out of Iraqi cities by
the end of June and the resurgence of violence has ordinary citizens
worried. Despite the renewed violence, Iraqi leaders have been insisting
that they are capable of maintaining order in the country and Prime
Minister Nouri al-Maliki said recently there would be no change in plans
for U.S. withdrawals. 


.