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CNN Live At Daybreak
The New Iraq: Bombing Aftermath
Aired October 28, 2003 - 06:10 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Now to Iraq one day after the bloodbath in Baghdad. Synchronized attacks in the Iraqi capital have international aid agencies deciding whether to scale back.
Our Ben Wedeman joins us live from Baghdad with the very latest.
And, Ben, obviously we are talking about the International Red Cross here.
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Heidi. Well this morning all of these international organizations that are operating in Baghdad are rethinking their activities here. They are rethinking the level of international staff to maintain in Baghdad.
The Red Cross, which lost two of its staff members in yesterday's attack, say that they will maintain their current level of activity in the country. Now that involves visiting prisoners being held by the coalition forces, basically observing their conditions, in addition to providing vitally needed emergency aid to ordinary Iraqis. They have already reduced their international staff since August after the U.N. headquarters was bombed here in Baghdad. And they may be reducing the international staff even further.
Now another international organization that will be cutting its staff here in Baghdad is Medecins Sans Frontieres or Doctors Without Borders. That is a French organization. They'll be cutting.
Meanwhile here in Baghdad, the funerals have begun for the more than 30 people who were killed in yesterday's bombing. Only two of the people killed in the bombing were not Iraqis. Those were two U.S. soldiers who were outside of one of those three Iraqi police stations that was hit.
Now we are hearing real anger from Iraqis about these bombings on the police stations and the Red Cross. The Islamic Dawa Party, one of the main Shiite political parties, accusing the bombers of feasting on the blood of Iraqis during the Iraqi holy -- the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.
Now those funerals, as I said, have begun. Not all of those who were killed will be buried today because their bodies have yet to be recognized or identified by relatives -- Heidi.
COLLINS: Ben Wedeman live from Baghdad this morning. Ben, thank you so much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired October 28, 2003 - 06:10 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Now to Iraq one day after the bloodbath in Baghdad. Synchronized attacks in the Iraqi capital have international aid agencies deciding whether to scale back.
Our Ben Wedeman joins us live from Baghdad with the very latest.
And, Ben, obviously we are talking about the International Red Cross here.
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Heidi. Well this morning all of these international organizations that are operating in Baghdad are rethinking their activities here. They are rethinking the level of international staff to maintain in Baghdad.
The Red Cross, which lost two of its staff members in yesterday's attack, say that they will maintain their current level of activity in the country. Now that involves visiting prisoners being held by the coalition forces, basically observing their conditions, in addition to providing vitally needed emergency aid to ordinary Iraqis. They have already reduced their international staff since August after the U.N. headquarters was bombed here in Baghdad. And they may be reducing the international staff even further.
Now another international organization that will be cutting its staff here in Baghdad is Medecins Sans Frontieres or Doctors Without Borders. That is a French organization. They'll be cutting.
Meanwhile here in Baghdad, the funerals have begun for the more than 30 people who were killed in yesterday's bombing. Only two of the people killed in the bombing were not Iraqis. Those were two U.S. soldiers who were outside of one of those three Iraqi police stations that was hit.
Now we are hearing real anger from Iraqis about these bombings on the police stations and the Red Cross. The Islamic Dawa Party, one of the main Shiite political parties, accusing the bombers of feasting on the blood of Iraqis during the Iraqi holy -- the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.
Now those funerals, as I said, have begun. Not all of those who were killed will be buried today because their bodies have yet to be recognized or identified by relatives -- Heidi.
COLLINS: Ben Wedeman live from Baghdad this morning. Ben, thank you so much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
