Baghdad church hostage drama ends in bloodbath

At least 37 people have been killed after Iraqi security forces stormed a Catholic church in central Baghdad to free dozens of hostages being held by gunmen there, security sources say. Twenty-five hostages were among the dead, along with seven members of the Iraqi security forces and at least five of the attackers, they told the BBC. About 100 people had been inside Our Lady of Salvation for an evening Mass. The gunmen had reportedly demanded the release of jailed al-Qaeda militants.

The local TV station, al-Baghdadiya, said it had received a phone call from someone claiming to be one of the attackers, who said they were from the Islamic State of Iraq, a Sunni militant umbrella group to which al-Qaeda in Iraq belongs. Reports said the attackers were not Iraqis, but foreign Arabs. The raid came two days after a suicide attack on a cafe in Diyala province left 21 people dead. Security forces later surrounded the church and sealed off the area, with helicopters hovering overhead. Then they stormed the building.

Witnesses nearby said they then heard two explosions from inside the church and more shooting. One eyewitness, who was inside the church, was quoted by the AFP news agency as saying that the gunmen "came into the prayer hall and immediately killed the priest". The witness, who declined to give his name, said the people in the church had huddled into the main prayer hall when the gunbattles began with the security forces. The gunmen reportedly threw grenades and blew their suicide vests. There were no negotiations with the gunmen before the security forces stormed the church.

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Death Toll Rises To 155 In Dual Baghdad Bombings

The death toll from Iraq's worst attack in more than two years climbed to 155 Monday as Iraqis buried the dead from the twin suicide bombings that devastated the heart of Baghdad. Funerals were held around the city amid heightened security that snarled traffic during the morning rush hour. The bombings targeted two government buildings, calling into question the state's ability to protect itself as it prepares for January elections and the U.S. military withdrawal.

"Sadness is overwhelming today in the office," said one government employee, who asked that her name not be used because she did not want to be reprimanded for speaking publicly about authorities. "It's as if we are sitting at a funeral in the office because many of our colleagues and people we know were killed."

The attacks targeted the Baghdad Provincial Administration building and the Justice Ministry, wounding hundreds of people, including three American contractors. Officials revised the number of wounded down to about 500 Monday, from 700 the day before. There have been no claims of responsibility or arrests so far.

• "Bombings rock Iraq's political landscape", Washington Post, 10/26/09.
• "Baghdad bombings expose security challenges", LE Examiner, 10/26/09.
  

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