In a massive and well-coordinated truck-bombing in Baghdad of the ministry of justice, ministry of local government, and the government of the province of Baghdad, at least 155 people were killed and more than 500 wounded. The numbers could be much higher, because many of the victims are still unaccounted for.
The government was quick to accuse Al-Qaeda and "remnants" of the Iraqi Ba'th party in the terrorist act. It added that it has identified the perpetrators and that the explosives originated from a neighboring country [a reference to Syria.]
The recrimination has begun among the various security agencies as to which one was responsible for failure to stop the trucks, one of which was rumored to be loaded with two tons of explosives. The Governor of Baghdad has gone as far as accusing unnamed security agency of colluding with the perpetrators.
The families of the victims, some still under the rubble and sending desperate messages to their families on their cell phones, are accusing security officials of surrounding the damaged buildings with a cordon sanitaire that is preventing ambulances as well as the families of the victims of coming to the aid of their relatives.
On the political front, the bombings of three more key government agencies on the heels of the massive August bombings of the ministries of foreign affairs and finance undermine the claims by Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki about the prevailing security in Iraq, and could harm his chances in the coming elections. The bombing could also affect the U.S. decision about the timing of the withdrawal of its forces from Iraq.
Sources: Al-Rafidayn, Iraq, October 26; Al-Zaman, Al-Sabah, Al-Mada, Iraq, October 27, 2009; Akhbar al-Khaleej, Bahrain, October 27, 2009
