Suicide bombers kill 20 cops

2005-05-30 10:26

Hillah, Iraq - Two suicide bombers detonated their explosives among a large crowd of policemen, killing 20 and wounding 96 on Monday in this city south of Baghdad, an interior ministry official said.

Colonel Adnan Abdul Rahman, contacted by telephone in Baghdad, said the attacks happened at 09:15 in Hillah, about 95 kilometres south of Baghdad, when two suicide bombers wearing explosive belts blew themselves up in the middle of group of policemen.

Iraqi police and soldiers immediately cordoned off the area, a scene of devastation where pieces of flesh and pools of blood covered the ground. Shoes and pieces of clothes of victims blown off from the blast were scattered across the road.

Dr Ayad Jabr, of Hillah Hospital, said ambulances brought the bodies of at least 10 slain policeman to his hospital. Another 25 wounded policemen were brought for treatment.

Captain Muthana Khalid Ali, from Hillah police, said about 500 policemen had gathered outside the local mayor's office to protest a government decision to disband their special forces unit.

Ali alleged some policemen had presented fake documents to the Hillah mayor's office several months ago approving the opening of a special forces unit in this city.

But the new government, announced April 28, discovered the documents were not legitimate and decided to close the special forces station, Ali added. Interior ministry officials were not immediately available for comment.

- AP