Widening Iraqi war played down

Hints of widening Iraq war involving Syria and Iran played down; fallout from bomb strike on Baghdad civilians

29 March 2003
There have been hints today that a dramatic widening of the war in Iraq could be possible.

The United States has warning both Syria and Iran to stay out of the conflict.

It accuses Syria of shipping military supplies to Iraq, saying any coalition casualties caused by that equipment would be Syria's responsibility.

Iran has been told to stop sending armed Islamic militants into Iraq.

US Secretary of Defence Donald Rumsfeld says those rebels would be deemed combatants if they interfered with coalition activities.

However the prospects of a widening of the war against Iraq are immediately being played down in some quarters.

CNN's Pentagon correspondent Jamie McIntyre says the comments were more of a shot across the bows of both countries.

He says the US is simply trying to stake out a public position, telling both Syria and Iran not to take actions that the US sees as unhelpful while it is engaged in the war in Iraq.

In other news, an American soldier has been killed in a road accident in Iraq.

His Bradley fighting vehicle rolled and he was declared dead on arrival at a medical unit.

Five other soldiers were injured in the accident.

No other details have been released.

Meanwhile, the coalition bombing campaign may be taking a fearful toll but it appears to be failing in its goal of convincing them to surrender.

Around 60 civilians were killed in Baghdad this morning in two air raids.

In the worst incident, at least 52 Iraqis died when a missile hit a crowded market in the Shula district.

Sky News correspondent David Chater is in Baghdad.

He says he felt very uncomfortable driving through the Iraqi capital to get to the scene of the latest bombing.

David Chater says it's an appalling incident.

He says the Pentagon needs to explain what caused the blast, and why it occurred in this area.

A series of anti-war protests is planned around New Zealand this weekend.

Protesters in Wellington are planning a peace camp outside the American Embassy for the whole weekend, finishing with a rally on Monday morning.

In Auckland, on Sunday, there will be a peace demonstration by the city's Muslim community downtown in Queen Elizabeth Square.

Other action is planned on Saturday in Christchurch, Nelson and Thames.

And in the US, a newspaper has suspended a reporter who took part in an anti-war protest.

Henry Norr was suspended by the San Francisco Chronicle after he was among more than 1,300 people arrested last week for blocking public streets.

The 57-year-old took a sick day to attend the demonstration, angering his bosses.

Norr organised Vietnam war protests before becoming a technology journalist.

© 2009 NZCity, IRN