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Baghdad blast kills at least 20 | |
(about 2 hours later) | |
A car bomb has killed at least 20 people and wounded dozens more in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, police said. | A car bomb has killed at least 20 people and wounded dozens more in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, police said. |
The bomb was left in a parked car at a bus terminal in the mainly Shia district of Bayaa in south-west Baghdad, officials said. | The bomb was left in a parked car at a bus terminal in the mainly Shia district of Bayaa in south-west Baghdad, officials said. |
The explosion tore through crowds of commuters waiting for buses during the morning rush hour. | |
Separately, 20 headless bodies without identification were found on the banks of a stream near the Tigris river. | |
The bodies - found in Nahrawan, south-east of Baghdad - appear to be those of civilians, police told the BBC. | |
The bombing in Baghdad comes as US and Iraqi forces continue a big security drive in and around the capital city. | |
Police said about 40 vehicles, including buses, had been set alight in the explosion, which occurred at 0815 (0415 GMT). | |
Television pictures from the scene showed blackened and twisted wreckage across a wide area. | |
Police and medical officials said between 20 and 25 people had been killed and 35-40 injured. | Police and medical officials said between 20 and 25 people had been killed and 35-40 injured. |
Meanwhile, three British soldiers were killed when a roadside bomb hit their patrol in Basra, in southern Iraq. A fourth soldier was wounded. | |
'Arrowhead Ripper' | 'Arrowhead Ripper' |
The US has poured thousands of extra troops into Baghdad and the surrounding area in an effort to curb bombings and sectarian killings. | The US has poured thousands of extra troops into Baghdad and the surrounding area in an effort to curb bombings and sectarian killings. |
About 10,000 US and Iraqi troops launched operation "Arrowhead Ripper" last week, trying to flush what the US called al-Qaeda militants out of Diyala province north-east of Baghdad. | About 10,000 US and Iraqi troops launched operation "Arrowhead Ripper" last week, trying to flush what the US called al-Qaeda militants out of Diyala province north-east of Baghdad. |
There has been heavy fighting in the city of Baquba, where Brig Gen Mick Bednarek of the US 25th infantry division said at least 60 suspected al-Qaeda militants had been killed. | There has been heavy fighting in the city of Baquba, where Brig Gen Mick Bednarek of the US 25th infantry division said at least 60 suspected al-Qaeda militants had been killed. |
But US commanders have warned that Iraqi forces can not yet be relied on to hold territory captured from insurgents. | But US commanders have warned that Iraqi forces can not yet be relied on to hold territory captured from insurgents. |
Earlier this week, the White House predicted a "difficult" summer ahead in Iraq as militants "do their very best to try to create very spectacular acts of terror". | Earlier this week, the White House predicted a "difficult" summer ahead in Iraq as militants "do their very best to try to create very spectacular acts of terror". |
'Wrongful attack' | 'Wrongful attack' |
Separately, the US military said it was investigating an incident in a village north of Baghdad last week where an American helicopter attack killed 11 men and wounded eight others after wrongly identifying them as al-Qaeda militants. | Separately, the US military said it was investigating an incident in a village north of Baghdad last week where an American helicopter attack killed 11 men and wounded eight others after wrongly identifying them as al-Qaeda militants. |
Survivors and residents of the village, Khalis, have told the BBC that all those killed and injured were guards, recognised by local authorities. | Survivors and residents of the village, Khalis, have told the BBC that all those killed and injured were guards, recognised by local authorities. |
The US military told the BBC that it considers the armed men to have been a militia conducting an offensive operation near Iraqi police. But they no longer described them as al-Qaeda. | The US military told the BBC that it considers the armed men to have been a militia conducting an offensive operation near Iraqi police. But they no longer described them as al-Qaeda. |
The survivors of the attack said they were helping the police check a house believed to be used by insurgents. | The survivors of the attack said they were helping the police check a house believed to be used by insurgents. |
Neither US nor Iraqi forces had been told of a local watch programme in the area, the BBC's Andrew North in Baghdad says. | Neither US nor Iraqi forces had been told of a local watch programme in the area, the BBC's Andrew North in Baghdad says. |