NZ contingent safe in Basra 'fortress'

BASRA - New Zealand's engineers and troops in Basra were last night locked down at their base after the Iraqi city was rocked by car bombs which killed at least 68 people.

Many children were among the casualties of the morning rush hour explosions. The southern city had been relatively peaceful during this month's surge of violence in other parts of Iraq.

The 61-strong contingent of New Zealand soldiers, mainly engineers, were ordered to "lock down" for the second time in two weeks inside their base in a former Iraqi naval academy named Fortress Lines.

Lieutenant Colonel Ants Howie, New Zealand's senior officer in Iraq, told the Herald that the soldiers were visibly upset by the attack.

Speaking from Basra, he said no New Zealanders were near the explosions but they had all seen the images on television.

"The guys are very, very concerned and sympathetic for the Iraqi people," he said.

"Wherever we go we are well received by the Iraqi people and particularly the children and a number of those killed were children which makes it that much harder for the guys."

The camp is about a 30-minute drive from central Basra.

Yesterday's bombings at three police stations left charred vehicles strewn across streets.

A Reuters correspondent counted 40 bodies at one Basra hospital. Children caught in a blast had been going to kindergarten in a minibus. Many other civilians and police were killed or wounded.

"There were three separate explosions at police stations about 7.15am local time [3.15pm NZT]," said a British military spokesman, Squadron Leader John Arnold.

He said exact casualties could not be confirmed, partly because emergency vehicles and British troops who control Basra could not reach two of the police stations.

Fresh clashes also erupted in Fallujah, west of Baghdad.

- AGENCIES, STAFF REPORTER

Herald Feature: Iraq