Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

Polish Ambassador to Iraq Injured in Baghdad Bomb Blasts

By VOA News
03 October 2007

Poland's ambassador to Iraq was wounded as explosions targeted his diplomatic convoy in Baghdad Wednesday.

Iraqi officials say two people - a Polish body guard and a passerby - were killed. Several other people were wounded in the attack in al-Arasat neighborhood of the city.

The officials said the ambassador, General Edward Pietrzyk, was taken to a nearby hospital. He is said to have suffered non life-threatening injuries.

Poland strongly supported the U.S-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, and currently has around 1,000 troops in the country.

On Tuesday, the U.S. military said coalition forces detained two key militants who are responsible for roadside bomb blasts in the northeastern province of Diyala.

A statement said the two were captured during a raid on Saturday. It says one is a high-ranking terrorist who directed attacks against Sunni civilians, Iraqi forces and coalition troops. The other is accused of being a key supplier of improvised explosive devices.

In another development Tuesday, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said he believes Iraqi forces can assume security responsibilities in the southern province of Basra in the next two months.

During a visit to Baghdad, Mr. Brown said 1,000 British troops possibly could be withdrawn by the end of the year, leaving a British contingent of about 4,500.

Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.