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CNN Live Sunday
Twin Suicide Bombings Kill More Than 50 in Northern Iraq
Aired February 01, 2004 - 11:01 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.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: We begin the hour in northern Iraq, where chaos coincides with the start of the most important observance of the Muslim calendar. More than 50 people are dead after suicide bombings at the headquarters of two Kurdish political parties.
CNN's Jane Arraf is following that story live from Baghdad. Jane?
JANE ARRAF, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Martin, it is one of the deadliest attacks since the end of major combat. Now, dozens dead, as you mentioned, more feared dead as workers sift through rubble. There are reports that there are still people trapped in the rubble of one of the collapsed offices after two suicide bombers set off, almost simultaneously, explosives in the two political Kurdish parties as well wishers were coming to give congratulations to political officials on this religious holiday.
Now, again, these two blasts, dozens of people killed and more wounded. Erbil has been declared an emergency zone, and the military says it has rushed in medical help. Martin?
SAVIDGE: Any understanding as to why these political offices would have been targeted?
ARRAF: Probably because they can be, Martin. Now, in this new Iraq almost anything that seems to be an attractive target is being targeted, and those were particularly attractive because Erbil in northern Iraq, Kurdish controlled northern Iraq, has been one of the most stable and economically prosperous areas, along with the rest of the Kurdish controlled areas.
Now, again, this was a religious holiday. It was perhaps the target of opportunity. People had their guard down as hundreds of well-wishers streamed into these offices to do the traditional thing, which is congratulate political officials. Among the dead are several senior political officials from both Kurdish parties, according to sources, and the death toll could rise as many are seriously wounded after the collapse of the reported collapse of at least one of those buildings hit by a bomb. Martin?
SAVIDGE: Jane Arraf following developments for us from Baghdad. Thank you.
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 February 1, 2004 - 11:01 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: We begin the hour in northern Iraq, where chaos coincides with the start of the most important observance of the Muslim calendar. More than 50 people are dead after suicide bombings at the headquarters of two Kurdish political parties.
CNN's Jane Arraf is following that story live from Baghdad. Jane?
JANE ARRAF, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Martin, it is one of the deadliest attacks since the end of major combat. Now, dozens dead, as you mentioned, more feared dead as workers sift through rubble. There are reports that there are still people trapped in the rubble of one of the collapsed offices after two suicide bombers set off, almost simultaneously, explosives in the two political Kurdish parties as well wishers were coming to give congratulations to political officials on this religious holiday.
Now, again, these two blasts, dozens of people killed and more wounded. Erbil has been declared an emergency zone, and the military says it has rushed in medical help. Martin?
SAVIDGE: Any understanding as to why these political offices would have been targeted?
ARRAF: Probably because they can be, Martin. Now, in this new Iraq almost anything that seems to be an attractive target is being targeted, and those were particularly attractive because Erbil in northern Iraq, Kurdish controlled northern Iraq, has been one of the most stable and economically prosperous areas, along with the rest of the Kurdish controlled areas.
Now, again, this was a religious holiday. It was perhaps the target of opportunity. People had their guard down as hundreds of well-wishers streamed into these offices to do the traditional thing, which is congratulate political officials. Among the dead are several senior political officials from both Kurdish parties, according to sources, and the death toll could rise as many are seriously wounded after the collapse of the reported collapse of at least one of those buildings hit by a bomb. Martin?
SAVIDGE: Jane Arraf following developments for us from Baghdad. Thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
