UN envoy survives Iraqi bombing

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A convoy carrying the UN’s top envoy to Iraq has been hit by a roadside bomb, officials say.

Ad Melkert was unhurt, the UN said, but according to reports a policeman died and three other people were injured.

Iraqi police said the bomb hit the second-to-last vehicle in the convoy as it left the Shia holy city of Najaf, 160km (100 miles) south of Baghdad.

Mr Melkert, a Dutch politician, was made an associate administrator to the UN Development Programme in 2006.

“The special representative was in the convoy. He is unhurt. He is fine,” a UN spokeswoman said.

“We cannot speculate on what was the motive.”

Mr Melkert had visited Najaf for talks with Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, Iraq’s most revered Shia Muslim cleric, Reuters reported citing officials.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

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