Children die in Basra blasts

Ten Iraqi children on their way to primary school were among the 55 dead in a series of simultaneous explosions in Basra today.

The suspected car bombs ripped through three police stations and a camp at the British-controlled southern Iraqi city which has stayed mainly calm despite fierce fighting elsewhere in the country.

More than 50 people were killed and at least 200 injured in the rush hour attacks at 7.30am local time (4.30am BST), said Ali Hussein, an emergency doctor at Basra's main hospital.

Two school buses passing by a police station in Saudia district were destroyed, one of which appeared to have been packed with children.

A police colonel confirmed 10 primary school pupils in one of the buses were among the dead. He also said the attacks may have been caused by rockets.

The explosion caused a hole two yards deep and three yards wide in front of the Saudi station.

A Ministry of Defence spokeswoman said: "There have been three vehicle-borne explosive devices which have hit three police stations in Basra city.

"There are many Iraqis killed with no numbers yet known. There are no coalition casualties."

There were more Iraqi casualties when an explosion from a fourth possible suicide bomber ripped through Camp Chindit at 8.25am local time but no coalition members dead, she said.

British forces were trying to help at the scene of the other three explosions but their efforts were being hampered by protesters, the MoD spokeswoman said.
She added: "Basra has been mainly calm, certainly whilst the trouble has been going on in Fallujah. It is worrying."

British military spokesman, Squadron Leader Jonathan Arnold, said the blasts were believed to have been caused by car bombs and there were a number of Iraqi dead, including police.