Truck Bombings Prompt U.N. to Suspend Relief to Kurds

The United Nations suspended aid operations to Kurds in northern Iraq on Saturday, saying it wanted Baghdad to ensure that no more bombs were planted on relief trucks that pass through government-held territory.

On three occasions within 18 days, relief trucks have been bombed or explosives have been found on them, U.N. official Colin Mitchell said. In the most recent case Wednesday, 10 trucks exploded while returning from deliveries to areas under Kurdish rebel control, and devices were found on nine others, he said.

The United States and Turkey have both said they believe that the Iraqi authorities, who oppose the autonomous state the Iraqi Kurds have set up in the north, are behind the explosions.

Mitchell, the acting deputy coordinator at the U.N. Iraq relief coordination unit, said, “So far there’s no proof as to who is responsible.” But he added, “I think we need to have much firmer guarantees from the government of Iraq that it is doing all that it can to improve security for the convoys.”

The United Nations also wants to bring back U.N. guards to escort the trucks through government-held areas, he said.

The U.N. sent a note to the Iraqi government Thursday expressing concern about the latest bombings and asking for a full investigation as soon as possible. It has not yet received a response.

The deliveries, which include food, kerosene and seeds for winter sowing, are of great importance to the Kurds as winter begins to bite in the north. U.N. officials have said that without relief many might flee to neighboring countries.