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CNN Sunday Morning
Suicide Bombs Explode at Kurdish Party Offices
Aired February 01, 2004 - 07:02 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: But up first this hour, the two Kurdish party offices where suicide bombers blew themselves up, were packed with people celebrating a Muslim holiday. The blasts occurred almost simultaneously in the city of Erbil.
Details now from Gaven Morris in Baghdad -- Gaven.
GAVEN MORRIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Heidi, this breaking news story is developing as we speak. What we do know is as you say, two suicide bombers apparently almost at the same time, walked into the headquarters of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan and the Kurdistan Democratic Party and detonated their bombs.
Now hundreds of party members were meeting in both offices to mark the start of the Ead al Adha holiday. This is a Muslim holiday celebrated over four days. And what we know is that these buildings were packed with party officials, very senior people from those Kurdish political parties in the city of Erbil.
What we're hearing on casualties, Heidi, at the moment is that sources told CNN an official from the PUK has told us that there are dozens of casualties. And some of the agencies, the Associated Press is quoting officials up there, saying it could be more than 100. So a very desperate situation. An emergency operation is in full swing there. Officials are ferrying convoys of medical personnel and rescuers to the ruined headquarters of both of those parties.
And also, some assistance from the U.S. may be in hand. They -- not a big presence in Erbil, but in nearby Mosul, they have a major operation. So that may well be underway as well.
The area now has been cordoned off. So we can't see much at the moment. We don't know exactly how many casualties there are, but other than those deaths that we're hearing, whether it be dozens, whether it be more than 100, there are many, many casualties -- Heidi?
COLLINS: All right, Gaven, we'll give you some time to work your sources on that and check in a little bit later on. Gavin Morris, live in Baghdad. Thanks 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 February 1, 2004 - 07:02 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: But up first this hour, the two Kurdish party offices where suicide bombers blew themselves up, were packed with people celebrating a Muslim holiday. The blasts occurred almost simultaneously in the city of Erbil.
Details now from Gaven Morris in Baghdad -- Gaven.
GAVEN MORRIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Heidi, this breaking news story is developing as we speak. What we do know is as you say, two suicide bombers apparently almost at the same time, walked into the headquarters of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan and the Kurdistan Democratic Party and detonated their bombs.
Now hundreds of party members were meeting in both offices to mark the start of the Ead al Adha holiday. This is a Muslim holiday celebrated over four days. And what we know is that these buildings were packed with party officials, very senior people from those Kurdish political parties in the city of Erbil.
What we're hearing on casualties, Heidi, at the moment is that sources told CNN an official from the PUK has told us that there are dozens of casualties. And some of the agencies, the Associated Press is quoting officials up there, saying it could be more than 100. So a very desperate situation. An emergency operation is in full swing there. Officials are ferrying convoys of medical personnel and rescuers to the ruined headquarters of both of those parties.
And also, some assistance from the U.S. may be in hand. They -- not a big presence in Erbil, but in nearby Mosul, they have a major operation. So that may well be underway as well.
The area now has been cordoned off. So we can't see much at the moment. We don't know exactly how many casualties there are, but other than those deaths that we're hearing, whether it be dozens, whether it be more than 100, there are many, many casualties -- Heidi?
COLLINS: All right, Gaven, we'll give you some time to work your sources on that and check in a little bit later on. Gavin Morris, live in Baghdad. Thanks 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
