Violence returns to Iraq as America plans withdrawal
U.S. Army soldier provides perimeter security during an Iraqi police patrol in Kirkuk, Iraq, on April 24, 2007. (Photo: US Army, Flickr)
Story from The Takeaway. Listen to audio for full report.
Monday was the deadliest day of the year in Iraq. Insurgents waged 42 coordinated attacks across the country, leaving almost 100 civilians and security forces dead, and hundreds injured.
The attacks came ahead of America’s planned withdrawal from Iraq, leaving many to wonder whether Iraqis can handle their own security.
“It’s just been utterly frustrating because lately there has been a period of relative security,” said Lubna Naji, an Iraqi doctor on her surgical rotation in Baghdad. “So you start to wonder, ‘Is Iraq really going to get safer or are we going to live in this nightmare forever?'”
According to the New York Times, the attacks were carried out by Sunni insurgents, led by Al Qaeda.
————————————————————–
“The Takeaway” is a national morning news program, delivering the news and analysis you need to catch up, start your day, and prepare for what’s ahead. The show is a co-production of WNYC and PRI, in editorial collaboration with the BBC, The New York Times Radio, and WGBH.
The World is an independent newsroom. We’re not funded by billionaires; instead, we rely on readers and listeners like you. As a listener, you’re a crucial part of our team and our global community. Your support is vital to running our nonprofit newsroom, and we can’t do this work without you. Will you support The World with a gift today? Donations made between now and Dec. 31 will be matched 1:1. Thanks for investing in our work!