Post by Salem6 on Feb 23, 2004 9:29:29 GMT
A suicide car bombing has killed at least six people at a police station in the Iraqi city of Kirkuk, reports say.
The BBC's Stephen Sackur at the scene says a car exploded in a ball of fire in a Kurdish neighbourhood.
The blast is at least the fourth since the beginning of the year to target Iraqi security services.
US defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld arrived in Baghdad on a previously unannounced visit shortly after the blast took place.
Our correspondent says the blast was clearly aimed at Iraqi police. There were no Americans present when the bomber struck, he says.
Iraqi insurgents accuse Iraqi police officers of collaborating with the US-led occupation, analysts say.
More than 300 officers have been killed since the new police force was established after the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime last spring.
POLICE STATION ATTACKS
23 February 2004: Car bombing in Kirkuk leaves a number of people dead or injured
14 February: At least 20 killed in gun battle outside Falluja station
10 February: At least 45 die in blast in Iskandariya
31 January: Nine killed in blast outside Mosul station
14 December 2003: Car bomb in Khalidiya kills 17
22 November: At least 18 die in twin bombings in Baquba and Khan Bani Saad
The huge blast took place at about 0800 (0500GMT), causing chaos and confusion, our correspondent says.
Police will not confirm the number of people who have been killed or hurt, but ambulance drivers have told news agencies at least six were killed, including a bomber.
Many people were at the station, in the Rahimawa neighbourhood, when the blast took place as one shift was replacing another.
US forces have now cordoned off the scene, he says, and medical teams are clearing away body parts.
Kirkuk is Iraq's fourth-largest city and lies in the heartland of the country's northern oil fields.
It population is a volatile mix of Arabs, Kurks and Turkmen.
More than 100 people were killed in a double suicide bombing of Kurdish political party buildings in the city of Irbil on 1 February.
Video:-
The BBC's Stephen Sackur
"It is very difficult for the Iraqi police to protect themselves"
news.bbc.co.uk/media/video/39891000/rm/_39891607_kirkuk07_sackur_vi.ram
The BBC's Stephen Sackur at the scene says a car exploded in a ball of fire in a Kurdish neighbourhood.
The blast is at least the fourth since the beginning of the year to target Iraqi security services.
US defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld arrived in Baghdad on a previously unannounced visit shortly after the blast took place.
Our correspondent says the blast was clearly aimed at Iraqi police. There were no Americans present when the bomber struck, he says.
Iraqi insurgents accuse Iraqi police officers of collaborating with the US-led occupation, analysts say.
More than 300 officers have been killed since the new police force was established after the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime last spring.
POLICE STATION ATTACKS
23 February 2004: Car bombing in Kirkuk leaves a number of people dead or injured
14 February: At least 20 killed in gun battle outside Falluja station
10 February: At least 45 die in blast in Iskandariya
31 January: Nine killed in blast outside Mosul station
14 December 2003: Car bomb in Khalidiya kills 17
22 November: At least 18 die in twin bombings in Baquba and Khan Bani Saad
The huge blast took place at about 0800 (0500GMT), causing chaos and confusion, our correspondent says.
Police will not confirm the number of people who have been killed or hurt, but ambulance drivers have told news agencies at least six were killed, including a bomber.
Many people were at the station, in the Rahimawa neighbourhood, when the blast took place as one shift was replacing another.
US forces have now cordoned off the scene, he says, and medical teams are clearing away body parts.
Kirkuk is Iraq's fourth-largest city and lies in the heartland of the country's northern oil fields.
It population is a volatile mix of Arabs, Kurks and Turkmen.
More than 100 people were killed in a double suicide bombing of Kurdish political party buildings in the city of Irbil on 1 February.
Video:-
The BBC's Stephen Sackur
"It is very difficult for the Iraqi police to protect themselves"
news.bbc.co.uk/media/video/39891000/rm/_39891607_kirkuk07_sackur_vi.ram