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More than 200 dead as battle rages in Baghdad

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The toll from fierce fighting in Baghdad’s Sadr City has risen to at least 200 dead and more than 1,000 injured, according to doctors in the besieged suburb.

US and Iraqi troops killed at least 13 gunmen in heavy fighting there yesterday against the Mahdi Army loyal to the radical Shi’ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr.

The reports from Sadr City hospitals suggest far higher casualty figures than previously reported, although they cannot be independently verified. Dr Qassem Mudalal, the director of the Imam Ali hospital, said: “There are 230 killed, I can confirm, in the hospitals of Sadr City. I’ve been living in the hospital for two weeks.

“I can’t leave because of the siege and it’s too dangerous to be on the streets because of snipers and bombs.”

He said most had died from shrapnel wounds. Other doctors claimed only a minority of the dead appeared to be militants.

The Iraqi government yesterday briefly lifted a blockade of the suburb, and allowed about 20 lorries loaded with food, blankets and medical supplies to enter the area.

An American convoy was struck by at least 10 roadside bombs while moving in to support Iraqi soldiers setting up a checkpoint in the west of the city, the US military reported.

There was no sign of a cessation of hostilities between al-Sadr and Nouri al-Maliki, the Iraqi prime minister. “Children, women and old men have been injured and killed and there are no ambulances,” said Um Ali, a housewife, by telephone from her home in Sadr City. “The hospitals have no first-aid supplies and there are so few doctors.”

Marie Colvin and Ali Rifat


** Where does it go from here? **
Conniepae

21 responses // More than 200 dead as battle rages in Baghdad

  • apparently, to form a "unity government" you have to suppress all those who disagree with you, even if they have attempted to find peaceful resolutions numerous times. This is a very strong sign that Maliki is nothing more than a puppet of the US attempting to ouster an independent leader. why? OIL. There's little we the people can do until we get our basic rights back. The first step is to get the patriot act tossed out, then we can worry about bringing the troops home and ending this sad excuse of a "war".
    jh64487
  • This "war" is already lost. The US will never be able to safely use Iraq oil, it could take so much time to end this mess that by the time they will be able to steal the oil the world will be already solar-wind powered ... it just doesn't make sense.
    varude
  • watch this comment being used here, here, here, here, here, and here
    http://current.com/items/88901340_1_300_iraqi_troops_po...
    More senseless violence, more heartbreak, families and lives torn apart... We must leave Iraq and we must do it as soon as possible... I feel so badly that my country has done so much wrong to our planet and to humankind over the last 8 years... very sad...
    critter
  • Agreed. We must bring our troops home so that we can begin a healing process. I have a lot of friends in Iraq and they have all become fundamentally different and, I say this with total respect, broken people. I can't wait for this war to be over.
    jessicajane
  • We could be waiting for a while.
    guntown_kid82
  • The dead and wounded tolls continue to climb while GWB and his brood get ready to bail, leaving behind a ghastly mess that will keep the next Commander In Chief busy for a 4 year term, at the very least. History repeats as the ones leaving don't take responsibility for their own rotten garbage and leave it at the feet of the ones coming in. It's intolerable.
    Impeach and imprison the lying war criminals, Bush and Cheney. Nail every major and minor player involved. No one gets away.
    The rest of the world will respect us for it.
    huntre
  • It's sad that the violence continues, surely it's time to let these people begin rebuilding their lives, by themselves?
    mattbrawn
  • Agreed...
    critter
  • George W. may ride off into the sunset in November, but it should be with his head hung low, feeling shame for what his presidency has done to this country.

    No accountability, no shame. Someone should feel shame for what has happened and it shouldn't be our soldiers, they are doing what they are told. Accountability and shame should lie at the foot of George W. Bush!

    Iraq had not killed one American and was not openly threatening us, when George W. and the neocons started 'Shock and Awe'. Look at the destruction.

    I've heard fellow Americans say "We're there now, it doesn't matter how we got there." How can they look at these pictures and not think someone should be held accountable?
    Conniepae
  • I want President G.W. Bush,Dick Chenney.Condalizza Rice. and all thier familys and all other war mongers,and profitters to start thier tour of duty and stay untill this war they have created is over!
    Owlman1953
  • damn it's easy to forget sometimes who all is messed with by war
    tjflywheel81
  • sadly saddam did a wonderful job of keeping the morons in line. its not bush's fault that these people are too messed up in the head to do anything productive for themselves.

    yes, bring our troops home, admit defeat, let the region fall into complete ruin, an even better idea.
    diode
  • diode, As we sit here in the comfort of our homes or offices posting our opinions, who are we to judge if these people are too messed up in the head to do anything productive for themselves? If we fail to acknowledge their plight, we are also too messed up in the head to do anything productive.

    They have been devastated by what America has done to their country to remove their leader. They barely have electricity, many, many are refugees. Many have fled the comfort of their homes to avoid America's 'Shock and Awe'.

    Also, I disagree with your comment; **its not Bush's fault **. It is George W.’s fault! He’s the ‘Decider’! He made the decision to ‘PREEMPTIVELY BOMB IRAQ’. What part of that don’t you understand! If someone makes the wrong decision, IT IS THEIR FAULT!

    THERE IS NO DO OVER! IT IS GEORGE W’S FAULT! IT’S CERTAINLY NOT OUR SOLDIERS FAULT THEY ARE THERE.
    Conniepae
  • diode -- what exactly is the "worst" thing that will happen?

    A civil war between several religious/ethnic militas with our troops stuck in the crossfire?

    It's already happening! And the Iraqi military is handling it to the best of their ability (remember: Saddam had the military fighting insurgents for DECADES before we even got there. Me thinks they can handle it without our help)

    Some people argue we should wait -- that if we just wait another year, another decade or another 50 years that "magically" there will be this Perfect Moment (cue angels signing) wherein we can withdraw our military without there EVER being ANY violence in Iraq ANYWHERE.

    Sorry, but that ain't gonna happen.

    At no point will we ever -- ever! -- be able to leave without there being some uptick in violence.

    Imagine for a moment that you have an entire nation filled with the Aryan Nation and the Black Panthers.

    Now imagine these guys are killing each other and our soliders are stuck in the crossfire.

    Now imagine some supporters trying to make the arguement that "if we just stay longer....if we just sacrifice a few more troops...." that somehow these two violent militas will drop their weapons, hold hands and sing Brady Bunch songs.

    I don't think it's cynical to say that "magic moment" is never going to happen. I think it's just facing reality.

    One side is going to win. They'll win it with us standing their in the crossfire or they'll win it without us standing in the way.

    How does it benefit us to stand int he crossfire for another decade?
    crob80227
  • whether the US leaves Iraq in 30 years or tomorrow, the result is going to be the same: everything will go back to the way it was before we got there. you can supress a people and a culture as much as you want, but you can't make them change who they are. i just hope we don't have to wait 30 years before we realize that.
    ashabpatel
  • Man.
    stephenthomson
  • crob-

    It doesn't benefit us. It benefits the people with no-bid defense contracts and oil barrons who make a killing everytime our bombs hit an oil field.
    lifestudentno83
  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8-s1qai0kY&feature=rela...
    KIDS
    KURDISTANI
  • This is unacceptable, atrocious, and shameful.
    Swizzle2
  • This article is about the Kurds celebrating the Iranian feast of Norouz. For the main article, see Norouz.
    Newroz (also: NûRoj) [1] refers to the celebration of the traditional Iranic new year holiday of Norouz in Kurdish society. Norouz is celebrated throughout the countries of the Middle East and Central Asia such as in Iran, Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Turkey. In Kurdish legend, the holiday celebrates the deliverance of the Kurds from a tyrant, and it is seen as another way of demonstrating support for the Kurdish cause. The celebration is commonly transliterated Newroz by the Kurds and coincides with the spring equinox which falls mainly on 21st March [8] and the festival is held usually between the 18th and 24th of March. The festival currently has an important place in the terms of Kurdish identity for the majority of Kurds, mostly in Turkey and Syria. Though celebrations vary, people generally gather together to welcome the coming of spring; people wear coloured clothes and flags of green, yellow and red, the colours of the Kurdish people are waved
    KURDISTANI
  • Turkish State did all of these to the Kurds during Newroz celebrations March 21 2008.

    Here is Newroz. From Wikipedia.

    This article is about the Kurds celebrating the Iranian feast of Norouz. For the main article, see Norouz.
    Newroz (also: NûRoj) [1] refers to the celebration of the traditional Iranic new year holiday of Norouz in Kurdish society. Norouz is celebrated throughout the countries of the Middle East and Central Asia such as in Iran, Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Turkey. In Kurdish legend, the holiday celebrates the deliverance of the Kurds from a tyrant, and it is seen as another way of demonstrating support for the Kurdish cause. The celebration is commonly transliterated Newroz by the Kurds and coincides with the spring equinox which falls mainly on 21st March [8] and the festival is held usually between the 18th and 24th of March. The festival currently has an important place in the terms of Kurdish identity for the majority of Kurds, mostly in Turkey and Syria. Though celebrations vary, people generally gather together to welcome the coming of spring; people wear coloured clothes and flags of green, yellow and red, the colours of the Kurdish people are waved
    KURDISTANI

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