Wire: Al-Qaida Claims Responsibility for Baghdad Blasts That Killed 100, Wounded 500

Off the Wire:

WASHINGTON, Aug. 25, 2009 -- Newswire services this afternoon reported that al-Qaida has claimed responsibility for two truck bombs that hit government ministries in Baghdad last week, killing more than 100 people and wounding 500 others.

VOA News reported that a statement published on an al-Qaida-linked Web site claimed bombers had targeted the Finance, Defense and Foreign ministries in central Baghdad.

The Iraqi government linked the blasts to Baathist sympathizers located in Syria. On Tuesday, officials recalled the Iraqi ambassador to Damascus, and ordered Syrian officials to hand over two men wanted in connection with the attacks. Syria responded by recalling its ambassador and demanding Iraqi authorities provide evidence to back up their allegations, VOA said.

It has been widely reported that the blasts were the deadliest attacks in Iraq since U.S. forces withdrew from urban areas in late June.

On Monday, in the southern city of Kut, bombs exploded on two buses, killing at least 11 people and wounding 10 others.

(Report from newswire sources.)

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