June 13, 2004

Uphill Battle

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CNN reported today: Car bomb kills 12 Iraqis; Government official assassinated outside home in Baghdad

Members of Iraq's government have become targets of insurgents who see them as collaborating with the U.S.-led coalition.

Saturday morning, Bassam Salih Kubba, one of Iraq's four deputy foreign ministers, was killed when a carful of assailants drove by and fired at him. Assailants also opened fire on Iraq's deputy health minister, Ammar al-Saffar, Wednesday morning as he left his home for work. He escaped unharmed. Last month, a convoy carrying Salama al-Khafaji, a female member of the Iraqi Governing Council, was ambushed. Al-Khafaji survived the assassination attempt. In mid-May, a suicide bomber killed Izzedine Salim, who was just two weeks into his monthlong term as the council's president.

The governing council dissolved itself June 1 to make way for the interim government, which assumes leadership from the coalition June 30.

UPDATE June 14: CNN reports: Baghdad car bomb kills 13; At least 16 people killed in five attacks Monday

Posted by Forkum at June 13, 2004 08:44 PM
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