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| Many dead in Baghdad market bomb | Many dead in Baghdad market bomb |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| A suicide bomber has killed at least 26 people in the commercial centre of the Iraqi capital Baghdad. | A suicide bomber has killed at least 26 people in the commercial centre of the Iraqi capital Baghdad. |
| The attack was near Mutanabbi Street, a busy district lined with book shops and open-air book stalls. | The attack was near Mutanabbi Street, a busy district lined with book shops and open-air book stalls. |
| Witnesses said many shops were set on fire and more than a dozen cars were burnt out by the explosion. | Witnesses said many shops were set on fire and more than a dozen cars were burnt out by the explosion. |
| Iraqi and US security forces are in the third week of a major operation to try to stem the violence in Baghdad, one of the worst hit parts of the country. | Iraqi and US security forces are in the third week of a major operation to try to stem the violence in Baghdad, one of the worst hit parts of the country. |
| The blast was the first major attack in Baghdad for several days and the most deadly since a female suicide bomber killed 40 people at a Baghdad college on 25 February. | The blast was the first major attack in Baghdad for several days and the most deadly since a female suicide bomber killed 40 people at a Baghdad college on 25 February. |
| Correspondents say the increase in checkpoints and troop numbers on the streets appear to have reduced death squad killings, but US military officials say car bombs remain a risk. | Correspondents say the increase in checkpoints and troop numbers on the streets appear to have reduced death squad killings, but US military officials say car bombs remain a risk. |
| Thick smoke | Thick smoke |
| The bomb sent a huge column of black smoke into the sky over Baghdad's commercial centre. | The bomb sent a huge column of black smoke into the sky over Baghdad's commercial centre. |
| Papers from the book market were floating through the air like leaflets dropped from a plane Eyewitness Naim Daraji Mutanabbi Street - named after a renowned classical Arabic poet - is an area of mixed Shia- and Sunni-owned businesses and customers. | |
| Pools of blood collected in the street, a result of the dozens of blast injuries sustained by shoppers. | Pools of blood collected in the street, a result of the dozens of blast injuries sustained by shoppers. |
| A witness quoted by Reuters news agency said there were women and children among the casualties. People drove the injured to hospital in private cars without waiting for ambulances. | |
| "There was so much smoke that I was vomiting," said the witness, who was in a bookshop when its windows were blown out by the blast. | "There was so much smoke that I was vomiting," said the witness, who was in a bookshop when its windows were blown out by the blast. |
| "Papers from the book market were floating through the air like leaflets dropped from a plane," said Naim Daraji, a civil servant quoted by Associated Press. | |
| "Pieces of flesh and the remains of books were scattered everywhere," he said. | |
| In other reported violence, gunmen killed five people when they opened fire on Shia pilgrims in two separate incidents around Baghdad. | In other reported violence, gunmen killed five people when they opened fire on Shia pilgrims in two separate incidents around Baghdad. |