WORLD> Middle East
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WORLD> Middle East
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Shiite pilgrimage in Baghdad reaches climax
(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-07-29 17:11 The US military on Tuesday blamed al-Qaida in Iraq for the Baghdad and Kirkuk bombings. Kurdish political parties on Tuesday staged a protest in the nearby city of Irbil to denounce the attack in Kirkuk. Kurdish objections over a proposed power-sharing formula have blocked the law from being passed -- a move that could delay the nationwide voting until next year. Kirkuk is home to Kurds, Turkomen, Arabs and other minorities. After the explosion in Kirkuk, dozens of angry Kurds stormed the offices of a Turkomen political party that opposes Kurdish claims on Kirkuk, opening fire and burning cars amid accusations that their rivals were to blame. No casualties were reported. Shiites en route to Kazimiyah have been attacked in past years by gunmen in Sunni areas south of Baghdad. Since the 2003 ouster of Saddam Hussein, who was a Sunni, Shiite political parties have encouraged huge turnouts at religious festivals to display the majority sect's power in Iraq. |
