Survivor recounts 2009 Baghdad ministry bombing and political fallout

The author recounts walking to Ahmed Chalabi’s house on a hot August morning in 2009 when a huge explosion struck the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Baghdad, causing extensive casualties and destroying the building’s façade. Hoshyar Zebari, then minister of foreign affairs, survived because he had left his office moments before the blast, later emerging with a calm demeanor despite the devastation. Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki responded by accusing Syrian authorities of facilitating the attack, stating that most terrorists entered Iraq through Syrian borders and urging Damascus to expel them.

Video evidence released that evening showed a small blue truck packed with explosives detonating outside the ministry, and investigators traced its license plate to a vehicle that had entered Iraq from Syria. The bombing underscored the ongoing threat of cross-border terrorism and the tense diplomatic relations between Iraq and Syria.