Iraqi forces storm church to end standoff; 7 hostages killed
14 replies, posted
[url]http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/meast/10/31/iraq.violence/index.html?hpt=T1[/url]
7 killed, those poor people, and in a church :'(
[release]Baghdad, Iraq (CNN) -- Iraqi security forces stormed a Catholic church Sunday where gunmen were holding worshippers hostage, ending the hours-long standoff, police officials said Sunday.
At least seven hostages were killed in the incident. Another 20 people were wounded, the officials said. Eight suspects were arrested.
Survivors of the ordeal said they were just about to begin Sunday night services when the gunmen entered the church, according to Martin Chulov, a journalist for the U.K.-based Guardian newspaper who was on the scene. About 50 people were inside the church at the time, and a priest ushered them into a back room.
At one point, one of the gunmen entered the room and threw an unidentified explosive device inside, causing some casualties, Chulov said.
The gunmen seized the hostages after attacking the Baghdad Stock Market, in the central part of the Iraqi capital, earlier Sunday, police said. Four armed men entered the nearby Sayidat al-Nejat church after clashing with Iraqi security forces trying to repel the stock market attack.
The gunmen were demanding that the Iraqi government release a number of detainees and prisoners inside Iraqi prisons, saying the Christian hostages would be freed in return, according to the police officials.
Iraqi security forces sealed off the area surrounding the church, the officials said, and buildings were evacuated of civilians as precautionary measures. At least 13 hostages, including two children, managed to escape ahead of the security operation, police said.
The Iraqi authorities ordered the attackers to release the hostages and to turn themselves in, warning that they would storm the church if they do not comply. A few hours passed quietly as military units took up positions outside the church, including several American units, said Chulov.
"Then all hell broke loose," he said. A firefight erupted and Chulov said he heard three to four large explosions. Later, he saw about 20 ambulances race away from the scene.
An American military spokesman minimized the role U.S. troops played in the operation.
"The U.S. only provided UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) support with video imagery. As always we have advisers with the ISF (Iraqi security forces) command teams," said Lt. Col. Eric Bloom.
While the U.S. combat mission in Iraq officially ended earlier this year, some 50,000 American troops are expected to remain in the country until the end of 2011 to train, assist and advise Iraqi troops.
Two guards were killed and four others were wounded in the earlier attack on the stock market, according to the police officials.
The attackers also remotely detonated two car bombs outside the stock exchange, they said.[/release]
Feel free to steal, OP.
I was surprised that there weren't that many killed during the raid.
Guns blazing and a huddled down crowd with fanatics using them as shields?
Not as bad as spetsnaz but comes close though.
I find it necessary to point out that even if some in the west don't, they see it as a war of religions. They need leverage to free Muslim prisoners, thus unaffiliated Christians become targets.
what's with all these hostage fuckups lately
first that bus incident and now this?
I suppose letting the hostages die is one way to solve a hostage problem.
Like in CS:S
[QUOTE=Esrange;25772521]I suppose letting the hostages die is one way to solve a hostage problem.
Like in CS:S[/QUOTE]
Even if the hostages die you still have to kill all the terrorists.
[QUOTE=Ecarnacion;25772351]I find it necessary to point out that even if some in the west don't, they see it as a war of religions. They need leverage to free Muslim prisoners, thus unaffiliated Christians become targets.[/QUOTE]A few groups do, but the main ones just use it as a tool to get support and attention. Their real motivations are political.
[QUOTE=Zeddy;25772983]Their real motivations are political.[/QUOTE]
Just like Islam at it's core.
[QUOTE=Ecarnacion;25773072]Just like Islam at it's core.[/QUOTE]
Uhh, what?
[QUOTE=Zeddy;25773167]Uhh, what?[/QUOTE]
A full political system is provided by Islam, all other man-made governments are shirk, the worst sin.
[QUOTE=zombieslaya;25772222]Not as bad as spetsnaz but comes close though.[/QUOTE]
:saddowns:
