Talabani receives cable from Medvedev denouncing Baghdad bombings

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: Iraqi President Jalal Talabani received a cable from Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in which he denounced the deadly bombing attacks that targeted central Baghdad’s hotels, according to a presidential release on Thursday. “President Medvedev has condemned the terrorist bombing attacks that targeted hotels in central Baghdad and claimed the lives of dozens of innocent civilians,” read the release as received by IraqiNews.com news agency. The Russian leader expressed his country’s “unswerving solidarity with the people and leadership of Iraq in combating terrorism that only kills innocent Iraqis,” adding “the terrorists and extremists will face a strong response”. On January 25-26, the Iraqi capital had been rocked by bombings that hit three hotels: Babylon, al-Hamra and Sheraton, leaving scores killed or wounded. AmR (P) 2