Attacks continue as Iraq moves toward sovereignty Bombs kill 14 Iraqis, wound dozens, including two Americans

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Bombs rocked Baghdad and a U.S. base in northernIraq on Tuesday, killing at least 14 Iraqis and wounding dozens ofpeople, including two American soldiers. Militants loyal to a radicalShiite cleric clashed with U.S. forces in Baghdad and a Shiite holycity to the south.

A series of explosions rolled across Baghdad even as a new, post-occupation government for Iraq was announced, with Ghazi Mashal Ajilal-Yawer, a critic of the U.S.-led occupation, named as president.

In the largest blast, a car bomb exploded outside the offices ofthe pro-American Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, near the headquartersof the U.S.-run coalition, killing three and wounding 20.

The explosion sent a mushroom cloud of dust and debris rising overthe Green Zone. U.S. jets and Army helicopters roared over the city.

The blast ripped through the building in the early afternoon, onlya half hour after about 400 people left a party celebrating the 29thanniversary of the founding of the PUK, whose militia foughtalongside American soldiers in the invasion that toppled SaddamHussein last year.

Party leader Jalal Talabani was not in the office when the blastoccurred, a party spokesman said.

Outside the capital, a roadside bomb exploded near the U.S.military base, killing 11 Iraqis and wounding 23, near Beiji, 155miles north of Baghdad. Two 1st Infantry Division soldiers were alsowounded, the military said.

U.S. officials say insurgents will step up attacks in the daysleading to the June 30 transfer of sovereignty from the U.S.-ledoccupation authority to the interim Iraqi government.

The new prime minister, Iyad Allawi, told a ceremony announcingthe new government that Iraqis, "like other peoples of the world," donot want to live under foreign occupation but still will needAmerican and other multinational forces "to help in defeating theenemies of Iraq."

Despite the talk of stability and a new beginning for Iraq,violence continued in widely scattered parts of this country.

American troops fought Shiite militiamen loyal to radical clericMuqtada al-Sadr in the Shiite neighborhood of Baghdad Sadr City andin Kufa, where Shiite leaders have been struggling to save a shakycease-fire.

In Sadr City, militiamen fired rocket-propelled grenades at U.S.soldiers in sporadic clashes that reverberated along the windingalleys. It was not known if anyone was hurt in the exchanges.

CNN, which has an embed with U.S. soldiers in Najaf, said thefighting in the twin city Kufa broke out late Tuesday afternoon whenan American patrol took fire in the southern part of the city. Therewere no U.S. casualties, CNN said.

The U.S.-appointed governor, Adnan al-Zurufi, said coalitionauthorities proposed al-Sadr's militia withdraw from Najaf over a 72-hour period.

In return, American troops would stay away from Shiite holy sitesin Najaf and Kufa -- scene of sharp clashes between U.S. and militiaforces since al-Sadr launched an anti-occupation uprising in earlyApril.

Ahmad al-Shibani, an official from al-Sadr's office in Najaf, saidal-Sadr's movement is likely to have objections. He said he didn'tknow whether the militia would agree to joint Iraqi-U.S. patrols orto give up their arms.

Two Polish contractors and five other employees of a constructioncompany were abducted Tuesday near Baghdad but one of the Polesescaped, a Polish army spokesman said.

The group was abducted from their office and forced into a car,before one got away, Polish spokesman Lt. Col. Robert Strzeleckisaid. Authorities are searching for the missing people, includingthree Kurdish security guards and two other staffers whosenationality was not immediately known, he said.

Also Tuesday, thousands of Iraqis cheered and threw stones as U.S.Marines pulled out of Khaldiyah, a largely Sunni Muslim area and acenter of the anti-American insurgency about 50 miles northwest ofBaghdad.

The withdrawal took place under an agreement brokered with localclerics for Iraqi security forces to take over, said Lt. Col. HammadShahir Sarhan of the Iraqi forces.

U.S. officials have said they will gradually hand over securityduties as the country takes sovereignty.

Later Tuesday, witnesses reported an oil fire at the main pumpline leading north from Beiji, near the town of Sherqat, some 160miles north of Baghdad. It was unclear what caused the fire.

Iraq's pipelines are often targeted in attacks.

Attacks continue as Iraq moves toward sovereignty Bombs kill 14 Iraqis, wound dozens, including two Americans

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Bombs rocked Baghdad and a U.S. base in northernIraq on Tuesday, killing at least 14 Iraqis and wounding dozens ofpeople, including two American soldiers. Militants loyal to a radicalShiite cleric clashed with U.S. forces in Baghdad and a Shiite holycity to the south.

A series of explosions rolled across Baghdad even as a new, post-occupation government for Iraq was announced, with Ghazi Mashal Ajilal-Yawer, a critic of the U.S.-led occupation, named as president.

In the largest blast, a car bomb exploded outside the offices ofthe pro-American Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, near the headquartersof the U.S.-run coalition, killing three and wounding 20.

The explosion sent a mushroom cloud of dust and debris rising overthe Green Zone. U.S. jets and Army helicopters roared over the city.

The blast ripped through the building in the early afternoon, onlya half hour after about 400 people left a party celebrating the 29thanniversary of the founding of the PUK, whose militia foughtalongside American soldiers in the invasion that toppled SaddamHussein last year.

Party leader Jalal Talabani was not in the office when the blastoccurred, a party spokesman said.

Outside the capital, a roadside bomb exploded near the U.S.military base, killing 11 Iraqis and wounding 23, near Beiji, 155miles north of Baghdad. Two 1st Infantry Division soldiers were alsowounded, the military said.

U.S. officials say insurgents will step up attacks in the daysleading to the June 30 transfer of sovereignty from the U.S.-ledoccupation authority to the interim Iraqi government.

The new prime minister, Iyad Allawi, told a ceremony announcingthe new government that Iraqis, "like other peoples of the world," donot want to live under foreign occupation but still will needAmerican and other multinational forces "to help in defeating theenemies of Iraq."

Despite the talk of stability and a new beginning for Iraq,violence continued in widely scattered parts of this country.

American troops fought Shiite militiamen loyal to radical clericMuqtada al-Sadr in the Shiite neighborhood of Baghdad Sadr City andin Kufa, where Shiite leaders have been struggling to save a shakycease-fire.

In Sadr City, militiamen fired rocket-propelled grenades at U.S.soldiers in sporadic clashes that reverberated along the windingalleys. It was not known if anyone was hurt in the exchanges.

CNN, which has an embed with U.S. soldiers in Najaf, said thefighting in the twin city Kufa broke out late Tuesday afternoon whenan American patrol took fire in the southern part of the city. Therewere no U.S. casualties, CNN said.

The U.S.-appointed governor, Adnan al-Zurufi, said coalitionauthorities proposed al-Sadr's militia withdraw from Najaf over a 72-hour period.

In return, American troops would stay away from Shiite holy sitesin Najaf and Kufa -- scene of sharp clashes between U.S. and militiaforces since al-Sadr launched an anti-occupation uprising in earlyApril.

Ahmad al-Shibani, an official from al-Sadr's office in Najaf, saidal-Sadr's movement is likely to have objections. He said he didn'tknow whether the militia would agree to joint Iraqi-U.S. patrols orto give up their arms.

Two Polish contractors and five other employees of a constructioncompany were abducted Tuesday near Baghdad but one of the Polesescaped, a Polish army spokesman said.

The group was abducted from their office and forced into a car,before one got away, Polish spokesman Lt. Col. Robert Strzeleckisaid. Authorities are searching for the missing people, includingthree Kurdish security guards and two other staffers whosenationality was not immediately known, he said.

Also Tuesday, thousands of Iraqis cheered and threw stones as U.S.Marines pulled out of Khaldiyah, a largely Sunni Muslim area and acenter of the anti-American insurgency about 50 miles northwest ofBaghdad.

The withdrawal took place under an agreement brokered with localclerics for Iraqi security forces to take over, said Lt. Col. HammadShahir Sarhan of the Iraqi forces.

U.S. officials have said they will gradually hand over securityduties as the country takes sovereignty.

Later Tuesday, witnesses reported an oil fire at the main pumpline leading north from Beiji, near the town of Sherqat, some 160miles north of Baghdad. It was unclear what caused the fire.

Iraq's pipelines are often targeted in attacks.