IRAQ: Victims wounded in suicide blast arrive at Baghdad hospital

Record ID: 352881

  • Title: IRAQ: Victims wounded in suicide blast arrive at Baghdad hospital
  • Date: 18th August 2010
  • Summary: BAGHDAD, IRAQ (AUGUST 17, 2010) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF AL-KERKH GENERAL HOSPITAL, ARABIC SIGN ABOVE THE ENTRANCE PEOPLE INSIDE HOSPITAL CORRIDOR NURSE TENDING TO WOUNDED MAN IN UNIFORM WOUNDED MAN WITH FACE SPLATTERED WITH BLOOD WOUNDED SOLDIER ON BED, COLLEAGUE STANDING BY BEDSIDE VARIOUS OF WOUNDED ON HOSPITAL BEDS, RELATIVES AT BEDSIDES WOUNDED MAN ON BED (SOUND
  • Embargoed: 2nd September 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Iraq
  • Country: Iraq
  • Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement
  • Reuters ID: LVADA4JJELN0RS1XXKGCOGVX0KWU
  • Story Text: At least 39 recruits and soldiers were killed and 57 wounded on Tuesday (August 17) when a suicide bomber blew himself up outside an army recruitment centre in the Iraqi capital, authorities said.
    The Baghdad operations command said in a statement 39 people had been killed. One police source said the death toll could be as high as 48, with 123 wounded.
    Baghdad's al Kerkh General Hospital treated some of the victims.
    The suicide bombing is one of the bloodiest attacks in weeks as political tensions simmer following an inconclusive election more than five months ago and ahead of the end of U.S. combat operations this month.
    The attack occurred at the site of what used to be the Defence Ministry under Saddam Hussein, turned into an army recruitment centre and military base after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion.
    Army recruit Saleh Aziz described what happened.
    "We were standing in the Al-Midan area and the army and the officers were registering our names for recruiting when a bomb went off."
    One army source who declined to be identified said there might have been two suicide bombers, a hallmark of Sunni Islamist al Qaeda and its local affiliates.
    The bloodshed was the latest in a steady drumbeat of attacks since a March 7 election produced no outright winner and as yet no new government.
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