50 dead in Iraqi market bombing. Sky News blaming US already.

Sky News ^ | 3/28/03 | Sky News

[moyden2000]

'50 DEAD IN AIR RAID'

More than 50 Iraqi civilians are reported to have been killed in an explosion in Baghdad.

Arabic-language TV stations said between 50 and 55 Iraqis died in the blast in a busy market place.

Al-Jazeera TV said 51 people had been killed and 49 injured in the blast - an Iraqi doctor put the figure at 55.

The claims have not been independently verified.

'Terrible scenes'

But Sky's David Chater, who visited the hospital where the dead and injured where being treated, described horrific scenes.

"There are terrible scenes in there. I've never seen so many injured people in one place," he said.

"There are a lot of relatives screaming, a lot of children, a huge variety of people.

Coffins are carried from the hospital

"There was one boy having his wounds tended and he had already had his arm amputated, but he gave me a 'Victory' sign."

"Outside struck my very strongly. There were people sobbing and holding on to each other."

Footage of dead children and coffins being rushed into the hospital with hundreds of people outside were broadcast by Al-Jazeera.

Chater said it was impossible to say whether the blast was caused by a stray cruise missile or bomb.

Cause unknown

But there had been a significant reduction in the amount of fire aimed at incoming warplanes in recent days he said.

"I've not seen any anti-aircraft missiles going up in recent days," Chater said.

"Most of the things I've seen are coming from coalition strike jets.

If it was, it would be the biggest incident of "collateral damage" - the inadvertent killing of civilians - in the war so far.

Fifteen Iraqis were killed in a similar market place blast this week.

That blast was also blamed on American cruise missiles.

But the US later suggested the cause was stray Iraqi air-to-surface missiles.

[moyden2000]

Funny how these stray missiles always hit a market.

[annyokie]

Like those stray planes hitting the Trade Towers.

[WellsFargo94]

Headlines should read:

Thousands upon thousands killed, tortured, gassed, maimed, and oppressed by Saddam.

[EternalVigilance]

Funny how these stray missiles always hit a market.

I mean, what are the chances?

[hadaclueonce]

let me know when it gets to 3000...

[el_texicano]

I said it before and I'll say it again...Saddam is so desparate to have civilian casualities that he could without compuction have bombs set off at different places so he can claim US atrocities.

[freedomlover]

Arabic-language TV stations said between 50 and 55 Iraqis died in the blast in a busy market place.

Sounds like a Palestinian got lost.

[moyden2000]

Yep.

[Chairman Fred]

American cruise missiles would have killed hundreds, not just 50. Come on, let's get our "massacre" charges in line.

[EternalVigilance]

I'm still waiting for the screaming headlines that say:

"Iraqis torture, mutilate and execute U.S. POWs!"

Or:

"Iraqis machine gun escaping women and children!"

[LouisianaJoanof Arc]

let me know when it gets to 3000...

Amen

[finnman69]

I want tos ee the media pay this much atention to Israeli market places getting bombed.

[ez]

Don't we bomb Baghdad at night? Why are all these people in the market?

[freedomlover]

But there had been a significant reduction in the amount of fire aimed at incoming warplanes in recent days he said.

"I've not seen any anti-aircraft missiles going up in recent days," Chater said.

This is good.

[evad]

I've never seen so many injured people in one place," he said.

I guess this butt wipe didn't visit the Twin Towers.

[Servant of the Nine]

If any of our weapons had hit the market, there would be thousands dead. This was another artillery or mrtar shell.

So9

[TruthShallSetYouFree]

Funny how these stray missiles always hit a market.

Not always. Sometimes they hit a baby milk factory. (Anna Nicole Smith?)

[Rammer]

David Chater has absolutely no credibility. I was listening to the radio while doing yardwork last Saturday. Several times they had his feed, where he confirmed quite emphatically that the Iraqis had shot down a US warplane, and that the pilot had parachuted into the Tigris River. But it never happened. I did see some Iraqi Special Forces shooting up some reeds on the river bank though.

[Sunnyvale CA Eng.]

Tough sh!t - you know you're in a war zone. You knew that Baghdad would be THE primary target but you chose to stay. I don't care if there is 20000 killed this way in Baghdad - if they are there its because they are part of Saddam's war machine or loyalists who would pick up a weapon in a second.