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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Dozens killed in Baghdad attacks | Dozens killed in Baghdad attacks |
| (about 12 hours later) | |
| At least 54 people have been killed by two bomb attacks in the Karada shopping area in the centre of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, security officials say. | At least 54 people have been killed by two bomb attacks in the Karada shopping area in the centre of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, security officials say. |
| The blasts left another 130 people injured, the officials said. | The blasts left another 130 people injured, the officials said. |
| A witness at the scene described people holding body parts and a woman crying as rescuers searched for her sons. | A witness at the scene described people holding body parts and a woman crying as rescuers searched for her sons. |
| The BBC's Hugh Sykes in Baghdad said the second bomb targeted crowds gathered at the site of the first, causing the high death toll. | The BBC's Hugh Sykes in Baghdad said the second bomb targeted crowds gathered at the site of the first, causing the high death toll. |
| He says there are no obvious military targets in the area, and local residents were out shopping ahead of the Iraqi weekend in fine spring weather when the bombs exploded. | He says there are no obvious military targets in the area, and local residents were out shopping ahead of the Iraqi weekend in fine spring weather when the bombs exploded. |
| Teenagers | Teenagers |
| A roadside bomb exploded first in the predominantly Shia area, followed a few minutes later by a second blast caused by a suicide bomber, police said. | A roadside bomb exploded first in the predominantly Shia area, followed a few minutes later by a second blast caused by a suicide bomber, police said. |
| Many of the victims were teenagers and young adults. | Many of the victims were teenagers and young adults. |
| Hassan Abdullah, 25, told AP he was standing near the clothing shop he owns when the first explosion went off about 150 metres away. | Hassan Abdullah, 25, told AP he was standing near the clothing shop he owns when the first explosion went off about 150 metres away. |
| He was walking towards the scene when the second explosion struck. | He was walking towards the scene when the second explosion struck. |
| "I saw a leg and a hand falling near me as I was walking. The whole place was a mess," he said. | "I saw a leg and a hand falling near me as I was walking. The whole place was a mess," he said. |
| "Wounded people were crying for help and people started to run away." | "Wounded people were crying for help and people started to run away." |
| Our correspondent says attacks like this used to occur almost daily but have become much less common in recent months. | Our correspondent says attacks like this used to occur almost daily but have become much less common in recent months. |
| However, Iraqi government figures this week showed that the number of Iraqi civilians killed in February was a third higher than in January. | However, Iraqi government figures this week showed that the number of Iraqi civilians killed in February was a third higher than in January. |
| The figures reversed the six-month-long trend of falling death tolls attributed to a surge in US troop numbers, the formation of anti-al-Qaeda militias by Sunni Arab tribes and a freeze in activities of the Mehdi Army militia loyal to radical Shia cleric Moqtada Sadr. | The figures reversed the six-month-long trend of falling death tolls attributed to a surge in US troop numbers, the formation of anti-al-Qaeda militias by Sunni Arab tribes and a freeze in activities of the Mehdi Army militia loyal to radical Shia cleric Moqtada Sadr. |