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| Frantic hunt in Iraq bomb rubble | Frantic hunt in Iraq bomb rubble |
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| Rescuers in Iraq are digging through rubble to find survivors of four bombs that killed at least 200 people. | Rescuers in Iraq are digging through rubble to find survivors of four bombs that killed at least 200 people. |
| The attacks devastated an area home to the Yazidi, a Kurdish religious sect, near the northern city of Mosul, and left more than 200 people injured. | The attacks devastated an area home to the Yazidi, a Kurdish religious sect, near the northern city of Mosul, and left more than 200 people injured. |
| Officials on the scene said the number of those killed and wounded was expected to rise. | Officials on the scene said the number of those killed and wounded was expected to rise. |
| The US military blamed al-Qaeda for the bombs, and acknowledged that tackling insurgent attacks was a difficult task. | The US military blamed al-Qaeda for the bombs, and acknowledged that tackling insurgent attacks was a difficult task. |
| Brig Gen Kevin Bergner said the attack fitted the profile of "spectacular" strikes expected by al-Qaeda during the ongoing US "surge" operation. | Brig Gen Kevin Bergner said the attack fitted the profile of "spectacular" strikes expected by al-Qaeda during the ongoing US "surge" operation. |
| Because of the inaction of the government in Baghdad and their inability to protect the population they are suffering the way they are now Khaled SalihKurdistan regional government href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/6947716.stm">Iraq's minorities threatened Send us your comments | |
| The BBC's Richard Galpin, in Baghdad, says that with the Americans concentrating on their military effort in the capital, officials fear the insurgents are moving into new areas where they can attack so-called soft targets. | The BBC's Richard Galpin, in Baghdad, says that with the Americans concentrating on their military effort in the capital, officials fear the insurgents are moving into new areas where they can attack so-called soft targets. |
| The US commander in Iraq, Gen David Petraeus, will issue a report into the progress of the surge in September. | The US commander in Iraq, Gen David Petraeus, will issue a report into the progress of the surge in September. |
| In a statement, the White House insisted US forces and the Iraqi government would continue to "beat back" the "vicious and heartless murderers". | In a statement, the White House insisted US forces and the Iraqi government would continue to "beat back" the "vicious and heartless murderers". |
| Iraq's Prime Minister Nouri Maliki and President Jalal Talabani, a Kurd, also added their condemnation. | Iraq's Prime Minister Nouri Maliki and President Jalal Talabani, a Kurd, also added their condemnation. |
| Blood donors | Blood donors |
| Tuesday evening's deadly attack was one of the most lethal insurgent strikes in more than four years of war in Iraq. | Tuesday evening's deadly attack was one of the most lethal insurgent strikes in more than four years of war in Iraq. |
| The co-ordinated bombings in the villages of Qataniya and Adnaniya involved a fuel tanker and three cars, officials said. | The co-ordinated bombings in the villages of Qataniya and Adnaniya involved a fuel tanker and three cars, officials said. |
| KEY FACTS: THE YAZIDIS Religious sect found in northern Iraq, Syria and the CaucasusNumber about 500,000 worldwide, but largest number in northern IraqDoctrine is an amalgam of pagan, Sabean, Shamanistic, Manichean, Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian and Islamic elementsYazidis believe in a Supreme God, but do not believe in evil, sin, hell or the devilViolation of divine laws can be expiated by metempsychosis, or the transferring of a soul from one body to anotherPrincipal divine figure, Malak Taus (Peacock Angel), is the supreme angel of the seven angels who ruled the universe after it was created by God | KEY FACTS: THE YAZIDIS Religious sect found in northern Iraq, Syria and the CaucasusNumber about 500,000 worldwide, but largest number in northern IraqDoctrine is an amalgam of pagan, Sabean, Shamanistic, Manichean, Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian and Islamic elementsYazidis believe in a Supreme God, but do not believe in evil, sin, hell or the devilViolation of divine laws can be expiated by metempsychosis, or the transferring of a soul from one body to anotherPrincipal divine figure, Malak Taus (Peacock Angel), is the supreme angel of the seven angels who ruled the universe after it was created by God |
| The force of the blast ripped apart homes and overwhelmed local medical centres. | The force of the blast ripped apart homes and overwhelmed local medical centres. |
| "My friend and I were thrown high in the air. I still don't know what happened to him," Khadir Shamu, a 30-year-old Yazidi, told the Associated Press news agency. | "My friend and I were thrown high in the air. I still don't know what happened to him," Khadir Shamu, a 30-year-old Yazidi, told the Associated Press news agency. |
| A curfew has been clamped on the area and rescue work continues with many of the victims under rubble, while local hospitals continue to receive survivors with grotesque injuries. | A curfew has been clamped on the area and rescue work continues with many of the victims under rubble, while local hospitals continue to receive survivors with grotesque injuries. |
| Potential blood donors were streaming into hospitals treating the injured in Nineveh and Dahuk provinces, AFP news agency said. | Potential blood donors were streaming into hospitals treating the injured in Nineveh and Dahuk provinces, AFP news agency said. |
| An official from Tal Afar - a town close to the scene of the attacks - told the BBC that the number of dead stood at 257 and put the number of injured at 350. | An official from Tal Afar - a town close to the scene of the attacks - told the BBC that the number of dead stood at 257 and put the number of injured at 350. |
| 'Hands and shovels' | 'Hands and shovels' |
| The mayor of Sinjal, another nearby town, said he expected the final death toll to rise. | The mayor of Sinjal, another nearby town, said he expected the final death toll to rise. |
| "We are still digging with our hands and shovels because we can't use cranes as many of the houses were built of clay," Dhakil Qassim told AP. | "We are still digging with our hands and shovels because we can't use cranes as many of the houses were built of clay," Dhakil Qassim told AP. |
| "We are expecting to reach the final death toll tomorrow or [the] day after tomorrow as we are getting only pieces of bodies." | "We are expecting to reach the final death toll tomorrow or [the] day after tomorrow as we are getting only pieces of bodies." |
| A spokesman for the Kurdistan regional government, a semi-autonomous authority which governs three northern Iraqi provinces, described the Yazidi as a "threatened minority" and said Kurdish forces might have protected them from harm. | A spokesman for the Kurdistan regional government, a semi-autonomous authority which governs three northern Iraqi provinces, described the Yazidi as a "threatened minority" and said Kurdish forces might have protected them from harm. |
| "But because of the inaction of the government in Baghdad and their inability to protect the population they are suffering the way they are now," he added. | "But because of the inaction of the government in Baghdad and their inability to protect the population they are suffering the way they are now," he added. |
| Tensions between the Yazidi sect and local Muslims have grown since a Yazidi girl was reportedly stoned by her community in April for converting to Islam. | Tensions between the Yazidi sect and local Muslims have grown since a Yazidi girl was reportedly stoned by her community in April for converting to Islam. |
| The sect is due to vote later alongside other Kurds outside the Kurdish autonomous region in a referendum on joining the grouping. | The sect is due to vote later alongside other Kurds outside the Kurdish autonomous region in a referendum on joining the grouping. |
| Correspondents say the planned referendum makes northern Iraq's Kurds a target for politically-motivated attacks. | Correspondents say the planned referendum makes northern Iraq's Kurds a target for politically-motivated attacks. |
| Yazidis worship an archangel, sometimes represented by a peacock figure believed by some Christians and Muslims to be the devil. | Yazidis worship an archangel, sometimes represented by a peacock figure believed by some Christians and Muslims to be the devil. |