At least 48 dead as Iraq is 激しく揺するd by 自殺 爆破 by Sunni 民兵

By Mail Foreign Service
Updated: 01:23 BST, 19 July 2010

At least 48 people were killed in 自殺 爆破s 的ing anti-Al Qaeda 民兵 in Iraq yesterday.

Up to 45 were killed and 40 負傷させるd when a 爆撃機 struck as men 列d to receive 支払う／賃金 at a 軍の base south west of Baghdad.

It was 不明瞭な how many of the dead were 兵士s and whether 非軍事の accountants 手渡すing out 支払う／賃金 were の中で them.

Deadly: An 負傷させるd Iraqi is wheeled to hospital after yesterday morning's 爆破

The attack was 目的（とする）d at the Sons of Iraq, a Sunni group known as the Awakening 会議s which have been helping U.S. 軍隊s. Some of the 生存者s complained of a 欠如（する） of 保護 from the Iraqi 軍の for those 列ing at the base in Radwaniya.

Hours later, a second 爆撃機 的d a 会合 of Sunni 民兵 leaders in the western town of Qaim, 近づく the Syrian 国境, 殺人，大当り three and 負傷させるing nine.

The 爆破s were the deadliest in a 一連の attacks across Iraq on Sunday that were 目的（とする）d at the Sons of Iraq, Sunni groups also known as Awakening 会議s that work with 政府 軍隊s to fight al-Qaeda in Iraq.

The attacks 最高潮の場面d the stiff challenges the country 直面するs as the US 規模s 支援する its 軍隊s in Iraq, leaving their Iraqi 相当するものs in 告発（する），告訴（する）／料金 of 安全.

'There were more than 150 people sitting on the ground when the 爆発 took place. I ran, thinking that I was a dead man,' said Uday Khamis, 24, who was sitting outside the Mahmoudiyah hospital where many of the 負傷させるd from the Baghdad attack were taken.

'There were more dead than 負傷させるd,' h e 追加するd.

Shock: Doctors look at the X-rays of an 負傷させるd man outside hospital

At least a dozen men, dressed in 軍の-style uniforms were seen laying in pools of 血 in 前線 of a 爆破 塀で囲む すぐに after the 爆破.

There were 相反する 報告（する）／憶測s as to how many of the dead were Iraqi 兵士s and whether any of the 非軍事の accountants 手渡すing out money were の中で them.

A 軍の 公式の／役人 at the base said the 爆発 was the work of one 自殺 爆撃機 wearing an 爆発性のs vest.

Some of the 負傷させるd complained about what the 欠如（する） of 保護 from the Iraqi 軍の for the men lined up to receive their 支払う／賃金 cheques.

Khamis said the men used to be searched but this time they were 許すd to line up without any checks 存在 行為／行うd.

Another man who was waiting at the hospital with his 負傷させるd 甥 said this was the fifth day they had gone to the base to try and collect their 支払う／賃金 cheques.

'Every time they went to receive their salary, they told them to come the next day and they did that for four days and now in the fifth day this 爆発 took place,' said Hassan Ali.

The area was すぐに 調印（する）d off, and Iraqi ヘリコプターs could be seen 飛行機で行くing over the 場所／位置.

While 暴力／激しさ has dropped 劇的な over the past two years in the country, Iraqi 安全 軍隊s remain a favourite tar get for 謀反のs bent on 動揺させるing the country and its Shiite-led 政府.

The Awakening 会議s have played a 重要な 役割 in the 削減 of 暴力／激しさ in Iraq since they first rose up against their former al-Qaeda 同盟（する）s in late 2006, joining the U.S. 軍の and 政府 軍隊s in the fight against the terror group.

But their 未来 役割 in the Shiite-大多数 country is contentious. The U.S. used to 支払う／賃金 the 月毎の salaries of about £200 to the nearly 100,000-strong 民兵s.