Iraq - Mosque attack may precipitate civil war

The Samarra Mosque - Before and after the bomb attack
Iraq is on the precipice of civil war after a week of attacks on Shi’ites culminated in the destruction of one of the world’s holiest mosques. The mosque in Samarra, which has stood on the site for nearly 1000 years, was virtually destroyed by the explosion by unknown attackers. The mosque has been rebuilt several times throughout its history with the gold dome added in 1905 [BBC].

More than 100 have died throughout Iraq since Wednesday [BBC]. Three journalists working for Al Arabiya TV were kidnapped and later found killed. Al-Jazeera had extensive reports of one woman who had previously worked for their organisation. More journalists have died in Iraq than the whole of the Vietnam war. More than 100 Sunni sites have been attacked including at least 50 mosques and reprisal attacks are certain to worsen as radical clerics such as Moqtada al Sadr make a call to arms. Authorities have pointed the finger of blame for the attack on the mosque firmly at al Qaeda and Zarqawi, though as yet there has been no claim of responsibility. Indeed the bewilderment and shock of the bombing has precipitated anger towards the US. The shocking images beamed around the world by al-Jazeera, CNN and other networks have certainly incensed many Muslims and there have been renewed anti-US protests in Pakistan and elsewhere. Al-Jazeera’s lunchtime bulletin spent a great deal of airtime talking to prominent clerics discussing the deteriorating situation in Iraq. The story remained the top story on CNN but other broadcasters in the UK dealt with the story less prominently. Sky and BBC News 24’s top story was instead the theft of £45 million from a warehouse in Tonbridge, Kent [Sky News / BBC] and a roof collapse in Moscow which has killed at least 40 [BBC and injured more than 30.

The attack on the mosque comes in a week of continued violence in the country. On Monday at least 17 people were killed throughout Iraq including attacks in Mosul and Baghdad. On Tuesday more than 20 were killed in a car bomb explosion in a Baghdad market place, and more than 30 were injured. Condemnation of the attacks has come from all sides. Jack Straw, who has been in Iraq since Monday, and Condoleezza Rice both condemned the attacks as did the new President of Iraq, Jalal Talabani, who said the attack was “a major conspiracy that is targeting Iraq’s unity”.