Terrorists target families of Iraqi security forces

By Mohammed al-Qaisi in Baghdad
For Al-Shorfa.com
2010-06-08

[Mohammed al-Qaisi/Mawtani] Attacks killed and wounded 27 Iraqis and extensively damaged houses.

Milad Fadhil, a teacher in Fallujah, stood with her neighbour in the middle of the road. The two were crying after they heard that Fadhil's student, 9-year-old Saad, was killed when terrorists attacked his family's house on Monday (June 7th).

Saad's house was one of 11 in Anbar bombed by terrorists targeting security forces and their families. Twenty-seven Iraqis were killed and wounded in the attacks.

"It is a new method by al-Qaeda," Fadhil said. "It has given up the fight against the Iraqi forces because of their development and has returned to hit their families."

According to security officials, a number of terrorists planted bombs around the house where Saad lived. The explosion also killed Saad's father, who worked for Iraqi police, and Saad's younger brother. His mother and 3-year-old sister were wounded in the attack.

"I think that the war will turn this time from a war by the Iraqi forces against the terrorists to a war by all Iraqis against the dirtiest creatures that humanity has ever seen," Fadhil said. "They are killers of women and children."

Anbar Operations Command spokesperson Lt. Col. Ali al-Dulaimi said the attacks focused on the city of Fallujah, targeting six houses belonging to security forces in the neighbourhoods of al-Julan, al-Nezal, al-Mualemeen, and al-Karma.

"Terrorists have committed a new massacre against civilians Monday morning, launching simultaneous attacks against houses belonging to families of security forces and al-Sahwa members," al-Dulaimi said.

The attacks in Fallujah killed one person, wounded ten others, and caused extensive damage to the targeted houses.

In al-Zidan, east of Fallujah, three other houses belonging to al-Sahwa members were also attacked, wounding six people and completely destroying two homes.

Maj. Abbas al-Saadawi of al-Zidan police described the attack, which targeted one of his colleagues.

"Their house was attacked at an early hour Monday morning," al-Saadawi said. "They did not commit any crime other than that their son was performing his duty in preserving security. After the terrorists failed to confront him, they attacked his family, who were all that he had."

First Lt. Ismail al-Obaidi of al-Qaim police said terrorists attacked two more houses in Saada village, south of al-Qaim.

The houses belonged to the leader of al-Qaim Sahwa, Sheikh Samran Mekhlef Abd, and his son. Two policemen were killed and three civilians were wounded in the attack.

"All the attacks were carried out using the same method: handmade bombs planted around the houses. All indicators show that al-Qaeda is behind these attacks, after it failed to face the Iraqi forces in the street and battlefields," al-Obaidi said.

Dr. Abdul Wahab Mohammed of Ramadi Public Hospital in Anbar said, "Most of the victims were women and children. Some of them sustained wounds as a result of the collapse of parts of the house on them, and their wounds were covered with debris from the house."

"Such an act can only be carried out by people whose hearts have been stripped of mercy," Mohammed said. "Killing women and children is not of the human nature."

Iraqi forces in Anbar arrested 12 suspects and investigations with them are now underway.

Anbar police chief Gen. Bahaa al-Karkhi vowed to arrest all the perpetrators of the attacks as soon as possible.

"We promise all citizens in Anbar that they will soon see the criminals in the hands of justice where they will be tried for their acts," he said.

He said initial investigations indicate the attacks were carried out by an al-Qaeda-affiliated cell.

"This crime will be the last act of that cell, God willing," al-Karkhi added.

Al-Kharki encouraged security forces whose families were attacked to "proceed with their way and war against terrorism and not to allow the cowardly attack to be an obstacle in their work".

The brutality of the attacks shocked Anbar citizens.

"We were expecting the terrorists to take advantage of the weather conditions and the dusty atmosphere, but not with this brutality," said Tarik Ismail, 44, of Fallujah. "Their crimes have exceeded all our expectations."

"The war has now become clearer than the past: they are evil incarnate," said 32-year-old Thaer Bedawi, another Fallujah resident. "Citizens must continue to support the Iraqi forces until we get rid of them."

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