Insurgent attacks kill 27 in Iraq

Insurgents unleashed a series of deadly attacks today, including 10 car bombings in and around the capital, the day after the country’s first democratically elected government was approved.

At least 27 Iraqis were killed and more than 100 injured, officials said.

In a new audio tape, Iraq’s most-wanted terrorist, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, purportedly threatened more violence and warned Iraqis against collaborating with the Americans. The authenticity of the recording could not immediately be verified.

At least 10 car bombs exploded in seven areas in and around Baghdad today, the US military said.

Seven American soldiers suffered minor injuries but none were killed in the attacks, said US military spokesman Greg Kaufman.

“We see these attacks as another desperate attempt by the terrorists to discredit the newly formed Iraqi government,” US-led forces said in a statement. “The attacks today, mostly directed against innocent Iraqi civilians, perpetuates the terrorists failing attempts to drive a wedge between the Iraqi people and their right to choose their own destiny.”

The most serious of Friday’s attacks involved four suicide car bombs, which exploded in quick succession in the Azamiyah section of central Baghdad, said police chief Brig Gen Khalid al-Hassan.

The first one hit an Iraqi army patrol, the second a police patrol and the third and fourth at separate barricades near the headquarters of the police special forces unit, said al-Hassan.

Col Hussein Mutlak said the attacks killed at least 20 Iraqis, including 15 soldiers and five civilians. At least 65 were injured, of them 30 were soldiers and 35 civilians, he said.

Ambulances sped to hospitals and policemen crouched in fear after the explosions, which set fire and caused heavy damage to the special forces headquarters.

In Baqouba, a suicide attacker blew up an ambulance packed with explosives near a police special forces patrol, killing four Iraqis, including two policemen, said police Brig Gen Adel Molan.

Twenty Iraqis were injured, including four police, he said.

Also in Baqouba, a Sunni cleric believed to be a senior member of al-Zarqawi’s Al-Qaida in Iraq terrorist group blew himself up as Iraqi security forces surrounded the city’s al-Aqsa mosque, according to Ali Fadhil of the joint operation centre 35 miles north of Baghdad.

“Imam Abdul Razaq Rashid Hamid … came out from the mosque with two hand grenades as our forces were surrounding the mosque,” Fadhil said. “He threw one of the grenades at the forces while blowing himself up with the second one.”

Ten others inside the mosque were detained for questioning, he said.

Insurgents also staged a dramatic ambush against Iraqi forces in Madain, 12 miles south-east of the capital.

A roadside bomb was detonated, then two suicide bombers drove their cars from two different directions into police special forces as they arrived to investigate, killing two of them and injuring six, said police Lt Jassim al-Maliky.

Many of the wounded arrived covered in blood at the emergency section of Madain’s al-Kindy hospital. Hospital staff ran to ambulances to assist as a crowd gathered outside.

The new Cabinet held its first meeting last night to discuss a handover between Prime Minister Ayad Allawi and his successor, Ibrahim al-Jaafari. The incoming premier’s office said the handover would take place on Tuesday.

The primary goal of Iraq’s first elected government will be to write a permanent constitution by mid-August. The document must be submitted to a referendum no later than October 15. If approved, elections for a permanent government must be held by December 15.

A man claiming to be al-Zarqawi, addressed US President George Bush directly in an audiotape posted today on a militant website.

“You, Bush, we will not rest until we avenge our dignity,” the voice said. “We will not rest while your army is here as long as there is a pulse in our veins.”

It wasn’t clear when the tape was made and its authenticity could not be verified. The voice on the tape sounded similar to previous audiotapes attributed to the Jordanian-born militant who leads an al Qaida affiliate in Iraq.