Condemnation for rocket attacks on Baghdad hotels used by journalists

Reporters Without Borders firmly condemned this morning's rocket attacks on the Palestine and Sheraton hotels in Baghdad, which both house journalists, and urged all parties in Iraq - armies from the coalition, armed groups, terrorists and bandits - not to harm representatives of the news media working as neutral observers in the field. "The Palestine Hotel and the neighbouring Sheraton are occupied by foreign journalists and other civilians and should not be targeted, deliberately or accidentally, by military or terrorist attacks," Reporters Without Borders secretary-general Robert Ménard said, noting that the Palestine Hotel was already the target of a US army attack on 8 April during the taking of Baghdad. "It is vital that journalists should be able to continue to report the news for the outside world from Iraq without their lives being in danger all the time," Ménard added. At least two people were injured in this morning's rocket attacks on the two hotels. Three rockets were fired at the Palestine Hotel, which above all houses TV and radio journalists, and one rocket was fired on the nearby Sheraton Hotel, which also houses many foreign reporters.