A suicide car bomber struck the convoy of Iraq's minister of labour on Thursday, killing nine people and injuring 20, police said. According to Reuters, a spokesman for the ministry said the minister, Mahmoud al-Sheikh Radhi, was unhurt. Three of his bodyguards were among the victims.
Police and bodyguards in the convoy opened fire after the explosion. Several vehicles crashed and others sped away.
Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on Wednesday Iraqi forces cannot yet defend Iraq by themselves, so Baghdad should accept a pact that would allow U.S. troops to remain. The United States believes the accord that has been negotiated with Iraq's government is a good agreement as it stands, Rice told reporters en route to Mexico.
"Iraq has a strong interest in making sure that the coalition forces, U.S. forces, can remain in Iraq long enough to secure the gains that have been made, and long enough for Iraqi security forces to be able to take up their rightful places defending Iraq," Rice said, according to Reuters. "But I don't think that anybody believes that they are capable of doing that alone right now."
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