World Report: March 12, 2004 Vol. 9 Iss. 20
- This Issue:
- Table of Contents
- Cover Story
- Cover Story - Spanish Version
- Mini-Lesson
- Comprehension Quiz
- Teacher's Guide and Worksheets
Yet Again, Violence Hits Iraq
Thousands of Iraqis marched in the streets of Baghdad on Wednesday. They grieved for victims of bombings that killed more than 180 people in Baghdad, Iraq's capital, and Karbala, a major city.
The bombs exploded at holy sites of Shiite (shee-ite) Islam on a day of religious observance. Shiite Muslims make up about 60% of Iraq's population of 25 million.
Many Iraqis fear that foreign terrorists might have been responsible for these and other recent bombings. Some say that the attackers may have wanted to start trouble between Shiites and Sunnis, another Muslim group. The United States still has troops in the country working to prevent violence in Iraq.
The bombings delayed the signing of a new Iraqi constitution, which was finished last Monday after months of hard work. The document calls for Iraq's many ethnic groups to share power under a new democratic system. It also requires that women make up at least 25% of the legislature. U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell called the agreement "a major achievement." The United States is set to turn over power to a new Iraqi government on June 30.
