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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
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| Car bomb explodes in Iraqi city | Car bomb explodes in Iraqi city |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| At least 16 people have been killed and dozens wounded in a suicide car bomb attack in the southern Iraqi town of Kufa, officials said. | At least 16 people have been killed and dozens wounded in a suicide car bomb attack in the southern Iraqi town of Kufa, officials said. |
| The explosion destroyed a restaurant and severely damaged shops in an open-air market, about 400m from the town's main mosque. | The explosion destroyed a restaurant and severely damaged shops in an open-air market, about 400m from the town's main mosque. |
| Kufa, a centre of Shia Muslim pilgrimage, is a large town 170km (110 miles) south of the capital, Baghdad. | |
| Last month, more than 70 people died in a car bombing in nearby Karbala. | Last month, more than 70 people died in a car bombing in nearby Karbala. |
| Tuesday's attack was the latest in a series of attacks on predominantly Shia areas south of Baghdad apparently aimed at increasing sectarian tensions. | Tuesday's attack was the latest in a series of attacks on predominantly Shia areas south of Baghdad apparently aimed at increasing sectarian tensions. |
| The BBC's James Shaw in Baghdad says Kufa has not previously suffered as much violence as neighbouring Shia cities because it is a key powerbase of the radical Shia cleric, Moqatada Sadr and is therefore well defended by Mr Sadr's powerful militia, the Mahdi Army. | The BBC's James Shaw in Baghdad says Kufa has not previously suffered as much violence as neighbouring Shia cities because it is a key powerbase of the radical Shia cleric, Moqatada Sadr and is therefore well defended by Mr Sadr's powerful militia, the Mahdi Army. |
| 'Pools of blood' | 'Pools of blood' |
| The suicide bomber drove his vehicle into the crowded market, pulling up outside a two-storey restaurant popular with Shia pilgrims, witnesses said. "He tried to park the vehicle and then it exploded," Mohan Ali told Reuters. | The suicide bomber drove his vehicle into the crowded market, pulling up outside a two-storey restaurant popular with Shia pilgrims, witnesses said. "He tried to park the vehicle and then it exploded," Mohan Ali told Reuters. |
| "There were many bodies." | "There were many bodies." |
| The blast destroyed the restaurant, blowing out the windows, knocking over tables and scattering body parts. | The blast destroyed the restaurant, blowing out the windows, knocking over tables and scattering body parts. |
| "At least five or six people were killed inside the restaurant," the owner, Ali al-Hamadani, said. "There are pools of blood on the floor." | "At least five or six people were killed inside the restaurant," the owner, Ali al-Hamadani, said. "There are pools of blood on the floor." |
| A crowd gathered at the scene of the attack afterwards and began chanting "No, No, America!" | A crowd gathered at the scene of the attack afterwards and began chanting "No, No, America!" |
| A car bombing in Kufa in December killed 31 people and injured 45. | A car bombing in Kufa in December killed 31 people and injured 45. |