IRAQ: Car bomb kills 22, wounds 40 in Baghdad

Record ID: 356707

  • Title: IRAQ: Car bomb kills 22, wounds 40 in Baghdad
  • Date: 28th June 2007
  • Summary: PAN OF BOMB SITE
  • Embargoed: 13th July 2007 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Iraq
  • Country: Iraq
  • Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement
  • Reuters ID: LVAEL0WK1M39GZ6V61L0MLJQJ127
  • Story Text: A car bomb killed 22 people and wounded 40 at an intersection where minibuses pick up and drop off passengers in Baghdad on Thursday, Iraqi police said. They said the explosion took place in the mainly Shi'ite district of Bayaa, in south-western Baghdad. The area has been a frequent target of bomb attacks.
    "It was a big blast. A bus targeted a crowded area. Cars here worked on moving people to al-Jihad, al-Amil district, al-Maalef and al-Kadhim. It is a popular area where very poor people are living. We knew that this area would be attacked and no one is helping us. The Americans did not allow us to protect this area," said Yassin Kadhim, an eye witness.
    Police said around 40 vehicles had been set ablaze by the bomb, which went off during the morning rush hour as many people were going to work.
    U.S. and Iraqi officials blame Sunni Islamist al Qaeda for most of the car bombings in Iraq.
    Tens of thousands of U.S. and Iraqi troops are engaged in an offensive against al Qaeda in an attempt to take down the group's car bomb networks.
    U.S. officials accuse al Qaeda of trying to tip Iraq into full-scale sectarian civil war between majority Shi'ites and minority Sunni Arabs.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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