Skip to main content
Official Lies Over Najaf Battle Exposed

by Dahr Jamail
with Ali al-Fadhily

NAJAF, Iraq - Iraqi government lies over the killing of hundreds of Shi'ites in an attack on Sunday stand exposed by independent investigations carried out by IPS in Iraq.

Conflicting reports had arisen earlier on how and why a huge battle broke out around the small village Zarqa, located just a few kilometers northeast of the Shi'ite holy city Najaf, which is 90 km south of Baghdad.

One thing certain is that when the smoke cleared, more than 200 people lay dead after more than half a day of fighting Sunday Jan. 28. A US helicopter was shot down, killing two soldiers. Twenty-five members of the Iraqi security force were also killed.

"We were going to conduct the usual ceremonies that we conduct every year when we were attacked by Iraqi soldiers," Jabbar al-Hatami, a leader of the al-Hatami Shi'ite Arab tribe told IPS.

"We thought it was one of the usual mistakes of the Iraqi army killing civilians, so we advanced to explain to the soldiers that they killed five of us for no reason. But we were surprised by more gunfire from the soldiers.".................................
............................

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Bush Crime Family Crony Robert Gates a Shoo-In

Monday December 04th 2006, 8:16 pm “Robert Gates, the former CIA director and Texas A&M University president, is expected to easily win nomination as President Bush’s next defense secretary following a hearing today that is likely to focus on strategies in Iraq,” reports Express-News. Easy nomination, no matter the guy is a criminal, not to mention a blood-thirsty warmongering psychopath. Gates was at the core of the so-called Iran-Contra affair, but then it is business as usual in Washington, as the Bush administration is packed like a sardine tin with Iran-Contra criminals. Lawrence E. Walsh, the independent counsel in the Iran-Contra investigation, knew Gates was lying about his collaboration with fellow criminal, now respected Fox News talking head, Oliver North, the guy who wanted to suspend the Constitution and throw demonstrators in gulags under Rex-84. In 1984, as understudy and protégé of then CIA director-ghoul, William Casey, Gates wanted to bomb the dickens out of Nica

Legendary singer Tilahun Gessesse dies at age 68

Legendary singer Tilahun Gessesse dies at age 68 ADDIS ABABA - Ethiopia's legendary singer Tilahun Gessesse died at age 68 in his family home in the Ethiopian capital, family sources said. Perhaps the greatest modern musician whose star shone brightly during the golden years of Ethiopian music of the '60s, the 68-year-old iconic figure died Sunday on his way to hospital. A day earlier, Tilahun flew from New York City to Addis Ababa to spend Easter with his family. Reacting to the sudden death of Tilahun Gessesse, the Washington-based Radio Host Abebe Belew, also a close friend of Tilahun, said he was deeply shocked. "He was sporting a heatlhy look and was in good spirits when left for Ethiopia Saturday. On Sunday in Addis, we heard Tilahun was sick with "some burning" and was being rushed to a hospital when in the midst of all the chaos came in the news of his sudden death," Abebe said. "I wonder if there could be another Ethiopian who would live up to