NR: "We've just received some breaking news..."
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Length: 2:47
LARGE (32.3 MB) ----- SMALL (3.4 MB)
What was planned as another update on the bombings of Christian churches starts out with some breaking news of an attempted bombing targeting US Ambassador Christopher Hill.
TOM FOREMAN: Over in Iraq, a series of church bombings has rocked Baghdad, six in 24 hours. We're getting reports of some deaths, many injuries, let's go right to CNN's Michael Ware who is in the capital city. Michael, what do you know?
MICHAEL WARE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Tom, before we come to the series of church bombings, let me just tell you we have just received some breaking news. A roadside explosive detonated this afternoon near the convoy of the U.S. ambassador, Christopher Hill. U.S. embassy spokespeople have confirmed that an explosion did detonate near the ambassador's convoy in southern Iraq.
I can tell you that from information we are receiving, it was in the southern province of Dikar, which is traditionally being controlled by Iranian-backed militias. The U.S. embassy says that no embassy officials were hurt, however, an investigation is now under way.
Now, that happened sometime today. But as you said, Tom, this evening, we've had five bombings at different churches here in Baghdad, all within a space of about three hours. That brings to a total of six church bombings in 24 hours, in all of which, four people were killed and 32 were wounded. Tom.
FOREMAN: What else do you know about those roadside bombing you mentioned at the top there, Michael? This is disturbing news, no doubt. When they say it was near the convoy, do we have any idea how near and how hot has that region been up to this point?
WARE: That's a very good question, Tom. Firstly, we don't know any further details than that. We just literally received the confirmation from the U.S. embassy just moments before I went to air.
However, I can tell you about that province. That's a southern province that, by and large, except for particular Shia uprisings, mainly by the Mehdi Army, has been an area that has been relatively quiet for the U.S. military throughout the course of the war. It certainly hasn't been as restive as say, western Anbar province that al-Qaeda controlled. And it certainly hasn't been like Diyala province, to the north of Baghdad.
It's a province like much of the south that militarily in terms of attacks on coalition forces, was relatively stable, largely because unlike in the west and to the north, al Qaeda has not been able to operate with freedom of movement because it's a an area that essentially been monopolized by Iranian-backed militias. So the fact that an explosive has detonated near the U.S. ambassador's convoy in an area like that poses some open-ended questions, to say the least. Tom?
FOREMAN: All right. Michael, we will be checking back in with you throughout the hour to see what is going on over there and you will be all over it. Thanks so much, Michael.
NOTES:
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