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Iraq cancels leave for all police, army personnel
BAGHDAD - Iraq has cancelled all police and army leave and extended curfew hours in Baghdad and other cities to help staunch sectarian violence, an interior ministry source said on Thursday. Security personnel have been placed on the highest alert, the official said. Curfew hours were extended indefinitely in Baghdad and will now run from 8 pm to 6 am (1700 to 0300 GMT), instead of 11 pm to 5 am.The moves are in response to incidents around Iraq since the bombing of a major Shiite shrine in Samarra on Wednesday. Iraqi police and army officials said on Thursday at least 40 bodies were found in one spot just south of Baghdad. It was not clear if the number included the 53 people already reported by police to have died in Baghdad since Wednesdays bombing. At least 25 people have been killed in Basra, 550 km (340 miles) southeast of Baghdad, police said. A bomb targeting an Iraqi army foot patrol killed 12 people and wounded 21 in the city of Baquba, 65 km (40 miles) northeast of Baghdad on Thursday, an army source said. Posted by: Steve White 2006-02-24 |
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