Untitled Document
 |
TV pictures showed a huge
explosion next to the hotel |
The Palestine Hotel, which houses many foreign journalists in Iraq,
has been hit in a rocket-and-car bomb attack, killing at least 11 people and
causing considerable damage to the hotel, Iraqi police and journalists say.
Associated Press Television News pictures on Monday showed a huge explosion
on the northwest side of Firdous Square, adjacent to the hotel.
An AP photographer at a checkpoint at the northwest corner of the hotel said
at least three fellow photographers from other media were injured and taken
away by ambulance.
Two AP television personnel inside the hotel suffered minor injuries.
It did not appear that the car bombers managed to penetrate the high concrete
blast walls around the Palestine Hotel, which was last hit by a rocket attack
on 7 October 2004.
Cloud of smoke
 |
The blasts occurred just before
Monday's evening iftar meal
|
There was considerable damage to the windows and rooms on the south side of
the 19-storey hotel. TV pictures showed a huge cloud of smoke rising from the
scene and debris falling from the building.
After the bombing, Iraqi forces opened up with heavy automatic weapons fire, apparently
firing at random. There was no sign of a further assault on the hotel.
Major Abbas Mohammed Suleiman said the hotel compound was hit by rockets and
car bombs.
The Associated Press journalists had to evacuate their bureau in the hotel
and take refuge in the corridor.
Inside the hotel, light fixtures were blown down, pictures were blasted off
the walls and windows were shattered.
