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Kurdish view: Erbil bombing, Kurds are
staying away from crowded places
12.5.2007 |
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There is
a general sense of unease; people are staying away
from crowded places. But this may not last. After
previous attacks, it took just a few days for the
city to return to normal.
May 12, 2007
Erbil, Kurdistan region (Iraq), -- A
journalist in Erbil, Mohammed A Salih, reflects on a
Wednesday's bombing
in Erbil the capital of Kurdistan region (northern
Iraq).
The day after the bombing, the streets of Erbil were
noticeably less crowded. The attack had left its
mark and people looked uneasy.
On Wednesday, a suicide truck bomber carrying
between 800 kilos to one ton of explosives blew
himself up in front of the Interior Ministry of the
regional government and the security headquarters in
Erbil. The attack killed 15 people and injured more
than 100 others. |
Mohammed A. Salih The bombing has shocked people of
Erbil |
In Erbil's emergency hospital, one of the injured,
Kamaran Mohammed Amin, told me what happened.
"I had just arrived at work and was standing in my
office when I heard a big bang," said Kamaran, who
works as a computer engineer at the ministry.
"Then, as light as a bird, I was thrown against the
wall at the other end of the room. When I came to, I
found myself in a hospital bed."
Kamaran is traumatised by the incident.
Erbil's residents had until Wednesday, almost been
able to forget about bombings.
The last attack by insurgents on Erbil was in June
2005; in other parts of the country it has become
almost a daily routine.
The relative safety here, has attracted foreign
investment to the region.
But to many in Erbil, the attack bore a significant
symbolic message: nowhere in Iraq today is safe, not
even the security headquarters of Iraq's safest
region.
The Islamic State of Iraq, an al-Qaeda affiliated
group, claimed responsibility for the attack in a
statement posted on internet.
It said the bombing was in retaliation for the
Kurds' participation in the Baghdad security plan.
Hundreds of Kurdish soldiers are now in Baghdad as
part of the operation to try to secure the Iraqi
capital.
Kurdistan is now home to tens of thousands of people
who have fled volatile parts of the country. People
say the authorities should have an effective policy
to contain potential attackers who might slip in
here under the guise of refugees.
Until now, the security forces in Kurdistan have
largely managed to keep the insurgents away. If
these attacks continue, people's faith in them will
be shaken. New security checkpoints in and around
Erbil are being set up and police patrols have
increased considerably.
I passed by the interior ministry building in the
evening; the area was cordoned off and the targeted
buildings showed signs of serious damage.
There is a general sense of unease; people are
staying away from crowded places. But this may not
last. After previous attacks, it took just a few
days for the city to return to normal.
BBC
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