Attacks continued in Iraq amid warnings of "some really bad days to come," as the world marked the first anniversary of the US-led war.
Rockets were fired overnight into the large compound housing the US occupation headquarters and a US soldier was wounded in northern Iraq.
No casualties were reported at the compound, while the US soldier was wounded Friday in the city of Mosul when a rocket-propelled grenade was fired at the convoy he was travelling in.
According to AFP, Iraqi police too have been targeted. One officer was shot dead early Saturday at a checkpoint near the northern city of Kirkuk, and a blast hit the police station in Karbala to the south causing heavy damage but no casualties.
The attacks come as US military and civilian officials intensified their warnings that huge attacks are likely as the June 30 date for a return of sovereignty to the Iraqi people approaches.
"I expect in the run-up period to the transition of June 30 that we will have some really bad days," Iraq's US civilian administrator Paul Bremer told reporters on Friday.
"The terrorists are going to continue and even accelerate their attacks particularly on Iraqi men, women and children as they did in Karbala... and it happened the night before last here in Baghdad," he said.
As anti-war protests were held around the world, Iraqis themselves had announced almost nothing to mark the day a year ago when US-led forces invaded their country.
A small rally was held in Baghdad after Friday prayers, but no major commemoration was scheduled.
US Secretary of State Colin Powell, on a visit to Baghdad to mark the anniversary, said: "This is the first anniversary of the conflict that ended (Saddam's) cruel regime and put Iraq on a new path to a brighter future." (Albawaba.com)
© 2004 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
