shook the Iraqi capital Baghdad on what was already described by media as "the bloodiest day since the overthrow of Saddam Hussein," several reports and officials said.
In addition more than 220 people wounded in the blasts after three United States soldiers were killed in separate attacks overnight on the first day of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.
It was not clear what effect the latest attacks would have on the ongoing distribution of food and other aid, which has also been carried out by Western and local Christian organizations and churches as well as evangelical projects.
However Iraqi Christians, which have suffered under Islamic extremism, continue to spread the Gospel after they earlier urged prayers amid reports of revival despite the bloodshed, BosNewsLife learned. Monday’s attacks came after rockets slammed into the al-Rasheed Hotel in Baghdad that killed a U.S. army colonel and wounded 15 other people.
U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz was in the hotel when the attack occurred but was not harmed.
RED CROSS TARGET
The first blast, which reportedly could be heard several kilometers away, occurred near the International Red Cross building where mostly Iraqis work.
Edward Yousef, who owns a furniture store two blocks from the blast site, told the Voice of America (VOA) network he could not believe what was happening.
"Somebody do that. What can I do? We are sleeping in my home," he said, as he began to clean the broken glass from the floor of his shop. "Come in the morning and I want to work here and you see glass from the explosion."
EXPLOSIVE AMBULANCE
United States military and Red Cross officials said a suicide bomber rammed an ambulance packed with explosives into security barriers near the building.
A huge plume of black smoke rose from the site of the explosion and several cars nearby ignited in flames, television footage showed.
Within minutes, U.S. military helicopters were seen overhead as tanks and emergency vehicles rolled into the area and the streets were packed with wounded and terrified citizens, VOA reported.
For several blocks the windows in most buildings were shattered, and shards of glass could be seen everywhere, eyewitnesses said.
MANY CIVILIAN DEATHS
Iraq’s police chief Ahmad Ibrahim, who is also deputy interior minister, told a news conference that 26 of the 34 dead were civilians and eight police. Sixty-five police and 159 civilians were wounded. He did not say if foreigners were killed, VOA and other networks reported.
Brigadier General Mark Hertling told reporters he could not believe that someone would do this during Ramadan. "It’s not only criminal, it’s sacrilegious", Hertling said about the attacks.
The latest violence has raised new questions whether President George W. Bush was right to suggest that major combat operations are over. Since his May announcement more than 100 American soldiers were killed, mainly by terrorist attacks.
SPREADING ‘GOOD NEWS’
Yet, Iraqi Christians have said they will continue to step up efforts to preach and spread what they call the Good News of Jesus Christ amid hardship and killings. Armenian Christians have already launched Norayek, or "New Dawn", an evangelical newspaper with Bible related news stories.
"We are issuing it in Arabic because so that all Iraqis will be able to read it," said Editor Raffi Karakashian, one of the founders, in a statement received by BosNewsLife. "The Armenian Bishop blessed it. I believe one day I’ll see Iraqis more open to Christianity," he added.
