Gunbattles rage in holy city as talks break down
The collapse of the ceasefire in Najaf came as more than a thousand delegates from across Iraq opened a National Conference in Baghdad seen as key to establishing democracy in the country. Hours after the conference opened, insurgents fired a barrage of mortars that hit a commuter bus station in central Baghdad, scattering shards of glass, shrapnel and blood. There were contradictory reports of death tolls. Police lieutenant Yasser Fawaz said about 10 people were killed and about 15 others injured. Interior Ministry spokesman Col Adnan Abdulrahman said the attack killed one person and injured five others.
The conference aims ultimately to give a broader spectrum of Iraqis a voice in the political process and increase the legitimacy of the interim government of Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, which is dependent on American troops and money even after the end of the US occupation.
