Military

DATE=10/23/04

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=IRAQ / WRAP (L-UPDATE)

NUMBER=2-319861

BYLINE=GREG LAMOTTE

DATELINE=BAGHDAD

CONTENT=

/// EDS: UPDATES casualty toll in intro; no changes to text. Please watch CN wire for further casualty updates, and update intro accordingly. ///

HEADLINE: Suicide Car Bombers Take Toll in Iraq

INTRO: Two suicide car bombings Saturday killed at least 20 Iraqi police officers and National guardsmen. And, a mortar attack in central Baghdad killed at least two civilians. VOA's Greg LaMotte is in the Iraqi capital with the details of these and other developments.

TEXT: At daybreak, a suicide car bomber attacked an Iraqi police station west of Baghdad. The attack occurred as Iraqis were lining up to surrender their weapons and join the Iraqi police force.

A few hours later, another suicide car bomber blew himself up at the Iraqi National Guard headquarters north of Baghdad in the city of Samarra.

Also Saturday, six American soldiers were wounded in Baghdad, when a roadside bomb exploded near their vehicle on the road to the airport.

Insurgents fired mortars in central Baghdad Saturday, killing two Iraqi civilians. And, saboteurs bombed an oil pipeline that transports crude oil from northeast Iraq to Baghdad. Another bomb was discovered along the line and was defused. Attacks on oil pipelines have cost the country millions of dollars in lost revenues.

In the rebellious city of Fallujah, west of Baghdad, U.S. and Iraqi forces say they captured a senior member of wanted militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's inner circle. Five other suspected militants were also taken into custody.

In recent weeks, U.S. forces have intensified their attacks in Fallujah against militants associated with Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. A 25-million dollar reward is being offered for his capture. His Unification and Jihad group is suspected of carrying out kidnappings, beheadings, suicide bombings and attacks against U.S. forces, Iraqi police, National Guardsmen and Iraqi citizens.

And the fate of humanitarian aid worker Margaret Hassan remains unknown. Friday, a videotape of the kidnapped director of CARE International in Iraq was shown on an Arabic satellite television station. The 59-year old woman, who holds British and Iraqi citizenship, made a tearful plea for her life. She said her abductors are demanding that British troops withdraw from Iraq and not send troops from the south of the country to Baghdad, as was requested by U.S. military authorities. That redeployment is already under way.

Ms. Hassan was kidnapped Tuesday morning while traveling to her office in the Iraqi capital.

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