Militants Rampage Through Iraqi Neighborhoods, Burn Homes

New York Times March 11, 2007 06:42 PM

The house burnings, which also included incidents of gunfire, hit both Sunni and Shiite homes in one neighborhood of Muqdadiya, a large farm town in Diyala Province about 60 miles from Baghdad. There were differing reports about how many houses were affected: a province security official said that at least 30 houses were completely burned, including both occupied and abandoned buildings, while a Sunni Arab politician in town said that only six houses were destroyed. Some witnesses said as many as 100 houses were set on fire.

Victims from both sects blamed the Islamic State of Iraq, an umbrella organization for Sunni extremists that has taken over several other towns in the area. Residents said the group had recently demanded money, weapons and oaths of support from area residents.

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