- Many Iraqi civilians and a US tank crew died today when
a huge explosion destroyed around 20 houses in Baghdad, Al Jazeera
channel reported.
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- The explosion was the result of US marines attempting
to decommission Iraqi munitions and rockets left by Saddam Husseinâs
army in the Atayfiyya residential quarter of the capital.
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- Iraqi arsenal destruction kills US tank crew and many
Iraqi residents
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- Our correspondent reports that a US tank was completely
burned out with its two crew members still inside, suggesting that when
the munitions were detonated, missiles launched in all directions, one
slamming into the tank.
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- A local journalist, Aasim Jihad, who owns one of the
houses destroyed by the huge explosion says that the Marines came across
a sizeable arsenal of weapons in the Atayfiyya quarter and decided to destroy
it immediately. Many local residents of Atafiyya pleaded with the US troops
to remove the munitions far away from the district, fearing for their safety.
However, these calls fell on deaf ears and the US soldiers fired a
shell on the arsenal which exploded at once.
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- Jihad also explained to Al Jazeera that part of
the arsenal contained over 200 missiles ö Austrian in origin ö
and that the resulting explosion was like an inferno, emitting a terrifying
explosion. The number of dead was increased by the fact that many other
rockets flew off in all directions, some landing on houses of local residents.
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- The number of dead and wounded cannot be estimated at
this time due to the severity of the wreckage. There are no emergency teams
available, nor can ambulances and fire engines make their way to the fierce
fires now raging. Looting and general lawlessness have prevented any organized
responses to severe security and life threatening emergencies.
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- The explosion has also cut water to the residential quarter,
adding to the already numerous concerns of those living near the scene.
Their electricity had failed over a week ago. -- Al Jazeera
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- http://english.aljazeera.net/topics/article.asp?cu_no=1&item_n
- o=2369&version=1&template_id=277&parent_id=258
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