Developments in Iraq

By The Associated Press | June 10, 2004

Thursday's developments in Iraq:

-- Shiite gunmen loyal to radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr ransacked an Iraqi police station in the holy city of Najaf, threatening a truce that had held for nearly a week. U.S. troops refused to intervene in the fighting, in which six Iraqis died.

-- American soldiers clashed with al-Sadr militants in Baghdad's Sadr City. At least one militant was shot and killed by a U.S. tank as he prepared to fire a rocket-propelled grenade at the Americans.

-- President Bush conceded that it is unrealistic to expect NATO countries to send more troops to Iraq, but made a parting plea to world powers to do more to guide the Iraqi people to a stable democracy.

-- Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi's office sought to reassure Kurdish members of the government, saying the interim government will honor the temporary constitution during transition to elections next year. The constitution calls for a system of Kurdish federalism.

-- Allawi implored Iraqis to be vigilant against attacks on oil pipelines and electricity grids, saying saboteurs attacked Iraqi oil pipelines 130 times in the last seven months, costing the Iraqi people $200 million.

-- In a video obtained by the Associated Press Television News, gunmen claiming membership in a militant Islamic group displayed four Turks they said were kidnapped in Iraq. They demanded that Turkish companies cease doing business in Iraq.

-- Another extremist group threatened to kill two contract truck drivers -- Victor Tawfiq Jerges of Egypt and Bulent Yanik of Turkey -- by noon. The two had been shown on a video released last week.

-- A rescued Polish hostage arrived home after being freed from insurgents in Baghdad with another Pole and three Italians. Businessman Jerzy Kos said U.S. soldiers on Tuesday burst through a steel door to the house where he and others were being held, then assured them: "Don't worry, we are Americans."

-- Gunfire and explosions were heard in central Baghdad, and red tracers were seen soaring into the night sky. The U.S. command had no comment, but residents said a U.S. Army Humvee was attacked by a rocket-propelled grenade.

PRINTER FRIENDLY

E-MAIL TO A FRIEND