100 people dead and 125 wounded. This is the still provisional balance of the terrorist attack that sowed death today in Kirkuk, in the Kurdish district, not far from the Catholic cemetery. It was reported to SIR by local sources that for security reasons prefer to remain anonymous. The same sources "suggest that the authors of the attack are people from out of town, specially sent to create trouble and destabilise Kirkuk". The attention of Kurds, Arabs and Turkmen is actually focussed on this place, which is over 250 kilometres north of Baghdad and Iraq’s main oil centre. All of them claim possession of this place. A poll for a referendum for its administrative independence and annexation to Kurdistan is due to be held in Kirkul next December. Today’s terrorist attack occurred just when the Iraqi Prime Minister Al Maliki said he was willing to replace the US troops if they withdraw. As to this possibility, the sources contacted by SIR have no doubts: "it will mean the division of Iraq, a Shiite South, a Sunni Centre and a Kurdish North. There will be no place any more" for Christians, it’s their bitter comment.” ” ” ” ” “
