Foreign Correspondence

[Amaunet]

Global Violence Swells: 30 Killed, 100s Injured in Israel, Russia
Pakistan Times Monitoring Report

No you are not imagining the escalation in violence.

-Am

MOSCOW (Russia): Amid swelling acts of violence, the world-over, at least 30 people were killed with close to 200 injured in blast episodes, three in Israel and the one in Russia on Tuesday.

Whereas, 20 people died in two blasts in the area of the closest US-ally, Israel, over 10 lost lives in an explosion, which jolted the capital city of Moscow.

Details

Reports says that in Israel, bombs exploded on two buses in the southern Israeli city of Be'er Sheva, killing at least 20 people.

Around 100 more were injured when the bombs went off on buses in the town's main street. One bus was left in flames while the windows were blown out of the second vehicle.

Police sources said one bomber had boarded each of the buses several moments before the explosions. A third explosion was also reported near a shopping centre in the town.

One Caged

Earlier in the day, the Israeli army caught a man strapped with explosives as he tried to cross into Israel from the Gaza Strip. Be'er Sheva is 25 miles west of Gaza City.

Palestinian group Hamas said it was behind the suicide attacks, the first in Israel in six months.

Suicide bombers last struck in March, killing 10 people at the southern port of Ashdod. That attack prompted Israel to assassinate the spiritual leader of the Hamas group in the Gaza Strip.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon vowed there would be no let-up in his government's "fight against terrorism". "The struggle against terror will be pursued to the fullest extent," he told reporters.

Palestine Condemns

Palestinian authority spokesman Saeb Erekat condemned the latest bombings, saying: "Hate breeds hate, bullets bring more bullets."

Palestinian negotiations minister Saeb Erakat, condemned attacks targeting civilians Tuesday, after a twin suicide bombing in southern Israel that left almost 20 people dead and more than a 100 wounded.

"The Palestinian Authority condemns attacks which target civilians, whether they be Israeli or Palestinian," Erakat told media

He also appealed to the backers of the troubled roadmap peace plan "to intervene immediately" to bring peace to the region.

Dead-end of Roadmap

The roadmap has run into a dead end as it could not put a halt to skirmishes nor bring peace to the Middle East. Palestinians say Israel is flouting its obligations by continuing settlement activity in the West Bank.

Female Suicide Bomber Hits Moscow Station

And in the Russian capital, Moscow, Security sources say a female suicide bomber caused an explosion near an underground station in Moscow, killing at least 10 people.

Reports suggest the bomb was packed with metal bolts.Officials said more than 50 people were wounded, including children.

The blast happened near the Rizhskaya metro station in the north of the city just after the rush hour at 5.17pm [GMT}.

Vehicles get Ablaze

The shock wave shattered windows in the station entrance. Vehicles were left ablaze and bodies lay near the scene. Initial reports said there were two explosions in cars. "It was like a big thunder clap. There was one explosion, then another small one," said witness Alexei Borodin, 29.

"I saw five people who could not stand up. And there were other people who were in small bits. There was one man without a stomach shouting: 'Where are the police?'"

Backdrop

In February, a suicide bombing killed at least 39 people on an underground train in Moscow and a Chechen rebel group claimed responsibility.

Many bombings in Russia in recent years have been linked to the Chechen conflict, but some have been blamed on organized crime.

The blast comes a week after two Russian passenger planes crashed simultaneously after explosions, killing all 90 people aboard, in what authorities said was a terrorist attack.


www.PakistanTimes.net / www.DailyPakistanTimes.com
Technical Courtesy: IT Wizards
Copyright © 2003-


http://www.pakistantimes.net/2004/09/01/top.htm