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Baghdad market bomb 'kills 102' | Baghdad market bomb 'kills 102' |
(20 minutes later) | |
At least 102 people have been killed and 215 injured in a lorry bombing at a market place in central Baghdad, Iraqi security officials have said. | |
The attack in al-Sadriya district is the worst this year. Only the Sadr City bombings in November, which killed more than 200 people, claimed more lives. | |
Earlier, car bombs in the northern city of Kirkuk killed five and injured 40. | |
The Iraqi violence continues despite a new US initiative that will see an extra 21,500 troops deployed. | The Iraqi violence continues despite a new US initiative that will see an extra 21,500 troops deployed. |
Police said a parked truck blew up in the market in the heavily populated al-Sadriya district leaving a huge crater in the street. Many of the victims were ferried to hospital in pick-up trucks. | |
The attack, as shoppers bought food ahead of the night time curfew, is the worst this year - 88 people died in the bombing of the Haraj market on 22 January. | |
Markets, with their increased potential for casualties, have become a regular target for bombers over recent months. | Markets, with their increased potential for casualties, have become a regular target for bombers over recent months. |
'Destabilising' | 'Destabilising' |
In the Kirkuk attacks, seven bombs - one said to be a suicide blast - went off in different parts of the ethnically mixed city over a two-hour period. | In the Kirkuk attacks, seven bombs - one said to be a suicide blast - went off in different parts of the ethnically mixed city over a two-hour period. |
Seven bombs also went off in Kirkuk in the north | Seven bombs also went off in Kirkuk in the north |
Two of the bombs targeted the headquarters of two Kurdish parties - the Kurdish Democratic Party led by of Massoud Barzani, head of the northern Kurdish region, and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, headed by Iraq's President, Jalal Talabani. | Two of the bombs targeted the headquarters of two Kurdish parties - the Kurdish Democratic Party led by of Massoud Barzani, head of the northern Kurdish region, and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, headed by Iraq's President, Jalal Talabani. |
Others hit a petrol station, Kirkuk's commercial district and several other locations, reports said. | Others hit a petrol station, Kirkuk's commercial district and several other locations, reports said. |
Razqar Ali, a Kurdish leader and head of Kirkuk provincial council, accused militants of trying to destabilise the city amid efforts by some Kurds to include it in the autonomous Kurdish region. | Razqar Ali, a Kurdish leader and head of Kirkuk provincial council, accused militants of trying to destabilise the city amid efforts by some Kurds to include it in the autonomous Kurdish region. |
A curfew was imposed after the blasts and would run from 1600 (1300 GMT) to 0600 on Sunday, AFP news agency said. | A curfew was imposed after the blasts and would run from 1600 (1300 GMT) to 0600 on Sunday, AFP news agency said. |
Earlier, police said gunmen attacked a checkpoint near Samarra, killing six police and injuring another six. | Earlier, police said gunmen attacked a checkpoint near Samarra, killing six police and injuring another six. |
Samarra is a mainly Sunni town 125km (80 miles) north of Baghdad where an attack on an important Shia shrine last February sparked Iraq's current sectarian violence. | Samarra is a mainly Sunni town 125km (80 miles) north of Baghdad where an attack on an important Shia shrine last February sparked Iraq's current sectarian violence. |