Iraq church siege ends with bloodshed

Press TV, Sun Oct 31, 2010 11:21PM

Gunmen took over 40 people hostage in a Syrian Catholic church in Baghdad (pictured above) on Sunday. Iraqi security forces have freed over 40 people taken hostage by gunmen inside a church in central Baghdad, putting a sudden and dramatic end to a four-hour siege.

According to the first reports on Sunday, seven hostages and eight attackers were killed during the rescue operation involving US and Iraqi forces, which began soon after gunmen occupied the Sayidat al-Nejat church in the Karrada neighborhood in central Baghdad.

The assailants had first mounted a grenade attack on the Iraqi stock exchange in the evening, killing two guards and then fleeing to the Catholic church nearby, where they took over 40 people hostage, AFP reported.

Meanwhile, conflicting reports about the number of casualties and the events leading up to the rescue are coming in, with AFP reporting at least 13 people were injured in the rescue operation, which took nearly four hours.

The state-run BBC has quoted security sources as saying that 25 hostages and seven members of the Iraqi security forces were killed.

"We released the hostages but unfortunately seven of them were killed and 20 of them wounded," AFP quoted an Iraqi Interior Ministry official as saying.

A witness said the gunmen first killed the priest when they forced their way into the church.

According to Iraqi and US officials, nine gunmen had stormed the church but one of them was killed when police made a first attempt to enter the church.

"We killed the eight terrorists inside the church," an Iraqi soldier told AFP.

Earlier, the Chaldean bishop of Baghdad, Bishop Shlimoune Wardouni, told AFP that the attackers demanded the release of al-Qaeda members imprisoned in Iraq and Egypt.

No group or individual has claimed responsibility for the attacks, but the Al-Baghdadiya television network has reported that the attackers were affiliated with an al-Qaeda umbrella group in Iraq.

HA/MGH/HGL

Six Iraqi policemen killed, four others injured in North Baghdad explosion

October 31, 2010 - 02:29:06

BAGHDAD / Aswat al-Iraq:

Six Iraqi policemen have been killed and four others injured in an explosive charge blast in northern Baghdad on Sunday, according to a security source.

“An explosive charge, planted by unknown armed men, blew up close to a garage belonging to a police center in northern Baghdad, killing six policemen and wounding four others,”  he said.

The security source did not give further details, but only said that the explosion caused material damage to a number of cars inside the garage. SKH

4 security men killed, wounded in Baghdad

October 30, 2010 - 09:50:13

BAGHDAD / Aswat al-Iraq:

A soldier was killed and three others wounded in an attack by gunmen on a joint security checkpoint in western Baghdad city on Saturday, a security source in Baghdad said.

“Unidentified gunmen opened fire today (Oct. 30) on a joint police and army checkpoint in the area of Abu Ghraib, western Baghdad,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

“The attack left a soldier killed and two soldiers others and one policeman wounded,” he added, not giving further information.

AmR (P)

Gunmen keep hostages inside Baghdad church

October 31, 2010 - 06:47:52

BAGHDAD / Aswat al-Iraq:

Unidentified gunmen are keeping several hostages inside a church in al-Karrada area, central Baghdad, after they failed to raid the Baghdad Capital Market, a security source said on Sunday, adding so far two people were killed and four others wounded.

“An armed group of four gunmen tried to raid the Baghdad Capital Market on Sunday evening using stun bombs but the market guards withstood the attack, prompting the gunmen to withdraw in the direction of Sayedat al-Najah Church,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

“The gunmen used a car bomb in their attack near the market, leaving two guards killed and four others wounded,” he said, not giving further details.

Earlier, a security source said four people were wounded in a double blast that took place near the church.

“The blasts took place near Sayedat al-Najah Church in East Karrada, central Baghdad, leaving four persons wounded and material damage in an initial reports,” the source had told Aswat al-Iraq.

“Unidentified gunmen attacked police patrols that rushed to the blast site and still clashes are going on between the two sides,” he added.

AmR (S)

Security forces besiege church where gunmen keep hostages

October 31, 2010 - 06:55:31

BAGHDAD / Aswat al-Iraq:

Security forces are besieging the Sayedat al-Najah Church in central Baghdad, where unidentified gunmen keep hostages, according to al-Iraqiya TV on Sunday.

“An armed attack targeted the Sayedat al-Najah Church in al-Karrada, central Baghdad, and now security forces are cordoning off the church and dealing with the situation,” the semi-official news channel quoted Maj. General Qassem Atta, the official spokesman for the Baghdad Operations Command (BOC), as saying.

Earlier, a security source said gunmen were keeping several hostages inside the church after they failed to raid the Baghdad Capital Market, adding so far two people were killed and four others wounded.

“An armed group of four gunmen tried to raid the Baghdad Capital Market on Sunday evening using stun bombs but the market guards withstood the attack, prompting the gunmen to withdraw in the direction of Sayedat al-Najah Church,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

“The gunmen used a car bomb in their attack near the market, leaving two guards killed and four others wounded,” he said, not giving further details.

Earlier, a security source said four people were wounded in a double blast that took place near the church.

“The blasts took place near Sayedat al-Najah Church in East Karrada, central Baghdad, leaving four persons wounded and material damage in an initial reports,” the source had told Aswat al-Iraq.

“Unidentified gunmen attacked police patrols that rushed to the blast site and still clashes are going on between the two sides,” he added.

AmR (S)

Gunmen in church call for releasing detainees in Egypt, Iraq – priest

October 31, 2010 - 09:51:47

BAGHDAD / Aswat al-Iraq:

Gunmen taking hostages inside a church in central Baghdad are calling for the release of detainees in Iraq and Egypt, revealed a top Christian figure on Sunday.

“We have information that a priest and many of our sons are detained so far inside Sayedat al-Najah Church and that the gunmen are calling for the release of detainees in Iraq and Egypt in return for releasing the hostages,” Metropolitan Shlimon Wardouni told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

“We’re in great sadness over such inhumane acts that are against God, man and Iraq. We’re invoking God to save the innocent victims detained inside the church who were praying in the Sunday mass for endearment,” he added.

Gunmen are taking more than 20 persons hostage inside the church, including women and children as well as a priest.

Security forces are besieging the church.

“An armed attack targeted the Sayedat al-Najah Church in al-Karrada, central Baghdad, and now security forces are cordoning off the church and dealing with the situation,” the semi-official news channel quoted Maj. General Qassem Atta, the official spokesman for the Baghdad Operations Command (BOC), as saying.

Earlier, a security source said gunmen were keeping several hostages inside the church after they failed to raid the Baghdad Capital Market, adding so far two people were killed and four others wounded.

“An armed group of four gunmen tried to raid the Baghdad Capital Market on Sunday evening using stun bombs but the market guards withstood the attack, prompting the gunmen to withdraw in the direction of Sayedat al-Najah Church,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

“The gunmen used a car bomb in their attack near the market, leaving two guards killed and four others wounded,” he said, not giving further details.

Earlier, a security source said four people were wounded in a double blast that took place near the church.

“The blasts took place near Sayedat al-Najah Church in East Karrada, central Baghdad, leaving four persons wounded and material damage in an initial reports,” the source had told Aswat al-Iraq.

“Unidentified gunmen attacked police patrols that rushed to the blast site and still clashes are going on between the two sides,” he added.

AmR (I)