Weapons explosion kills civilians

A cache of weapons exploded in Baghdad Saturday killing six people, according to the U.S. military, and 14, according to residents, during a protest against the United States. U.S Central Command officials said an unknown number of individuals fired an unknown incendiary device into the pile of weapons, causing the explosion. One solider was reportedly wounded.

Iraq’s former Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz surrendered to coalition forces late Thursday. Farouk Hijazi, the former intelligence official accused in the plot to kill former President George Bush in 1993, is also in U.S. custody. Hijazi was Saddam Hussein’s chief of intelligence.

As some troops began to return home last week, White House officials have said that the president will soon declare and end to the combat in Iraq. Bush will also outline his plans to rebuild Iraq and sustain the global war on terrorism. Although there has been very little fighting in the area during the last several days, officials said that the president is awaiting word from commanding Gen. Tommy Franks that the hostilities have ended. Officials also say Bush does not plan to declare victory.

Most recent figures show that 164 coalition troops died in Operation Iraqi Freedom. At least 495 U.S. soldiers and Marines were wounded. Iraq has not released credible figures for its civilians, but the U.S. military is reporting thousands of Iraqi deaths.

– Compiled by Sarah Kite