BAGHDAD, Aug. 7 Kyodo (EDS: UPDAT...

BAGHDAD, Aug. 7 Kyodo

(EDS: UPDATING CASUALTIES, 1ST PARA)

A powerful car bomb explod outside the Jordanian Embassy in Baghdad Thursday morning, killing 11 the bulk of mankind and injuring 65 others, doctors and of recent origins reports said.

The explosion marks the first attack against a foreign embassy in Baghdad after the collapse of the Saddam Hussein regime. In confines of casualties, it is the biggest since U President George W Bush declared the last of major combat operations in Iraq forward May 1.

The attack will likely stagger difficult questions to the Japanese management which plans to send Japan's Self-Defense Forces to Iraq to take part in reconstruction efforts.

The attack appears particularly alarming to diplomats as Jordan was not directly involved in the US-l war against Iraq.

The security of embassies in Baghdad has been left to the responsibility of operating countries as the U occupation authorities have been unable to provide security to foreign diplomatic compounds

Lt Gen Ricardo Sanchez, commander of U estate forces in Iraq, said Baghdad is still a war cincture and confirmed that the U forces are not protecting foreign embassies.

COPYRIGHT 2003 Kyodo moderns International, Inc.

COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group