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Iraq bombs strike football fans Iraq bombs strike football fans
(about 5 hours later)
Two bomb attacks have killed at least 50 people and injured 135 in Baghdad as crowds celebrated a famous victory by the national football team. Two bomb attacks have killed at least 50 people and injured 135 in Baghdad as crowds celebrated the Iraqi national football team's win over South Korea.
The first strike killed 30 people in the Mansour district, where fans were marking Iraq's win against South Korea in the Asian Cup semi-finals. The first strike killed 30 people in the Mansour district, where fans were marking Iraq's victory, which takes the side into the final of the Asian Cup.
Twenty died in the next blast, at an army checkpoint in east Baghdad.Twenty died in the next blast, at an army checkpoint in east Baghdad.
Thousands had gathered on the streets of Baghdad, dancing and chanting in a rare moment of national unity. Thousands had filled the streets of the capital, dancing and waving flags in a rare moment of national unity.
Police say at least 130 people were wounded in the two attacks, which deliberately targeted celebrating football fans. Police said the two attacks deliberately targeted the jubilant supporters.
Some 75 of those were hurt in Mansour, where a car exploded in the midst of an excited crows, and almost 60 injured by the attack on the checkpoint. The first explosion occurred about 1830 local time (1430GMT) in the western neighbourhood of Mansour, where a car exploded in a crowd of cheering fans.
"I was in a car with my friends, people all around were celebrating and then there was a huge explosion and a lot of fire," one anonymous eyewitness to the first bomb attack told the AFP news agency. "I was in a car with my friends, people all around were celebrating and then there was a huge explosion and a lot of fire," an anonymous eyewitness told the AFP news agency.
Death and joyDeath and joy
Shortly after the Mansour attack a suspected suicide car bomber blew himself up in the midst of dozens of cars filled with supporters, near an Iraqi army checkpoint in the eastern district of Ghadeer. Less than an hour later a suspected suicide car bomber struck in the midst of dozens of cars filled with supporters near a military checkpoint in the eastern district of Ghadeer.
Policemen and soldiers join in the celebrationPolicemen and soldiers join in the celebration
The BBC's Nicholas Witchell, in Baghdad, says the football team's win was a genuine moment of national pride and pleasure which had crossed the sectarian divisions between Iraq's different communities. The BBC's Nicholas Witchell in Baghdad says the win was a genuine moment of national pride and pleasure, which crossed the sectarian divisions between Iraq's different communities.
Just as the Iraqi team has Sunni and Shia Muslims and Kurds playing alongside each other, the celebrations brought members of all those communities out onto the streets, he adds.Just as the Iraqi team has Sunni and Shia Muslims and Kurds playing alongside each other, the celebrations brought members of all those communities out onto the streets, he adds.
They cheered and waved Iraqi flags, sharing, perhaps, the first such moment of national pride in recent years, our correspondents says.They cheered and waved Iraqi flags, sharing, perhaps, the first such moment of national pride in recent years, our correspondents says.
Celebrations marking the national team's football victory also took place in other major cities in Iraq. The team beat South Korea 4-3 on penalties in the semi-final match in the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur. Iraq will now face Saudi Arabia in the final.
"I am nearly crying for joy," 30-year-old fan Nuri al-Najjar told Reuters in the southern city of Basra. There were celebrations across Iraq. "I am nearly crying for joy," 30-year-old fan Nuri Najjar told Reuters in the southern city of Basra.
"Iraq's victory with this harmonious team represents the way we should all live together.""Iraq's victory with this harmonious team represents the way we should all live together."
Separately, at least one person was reported to have died after being hit by stray bullets fired in celebration of the football victory, an Arab tradition popular in a city awash with guns. Separately, at least one person was reported to have died after being hit by stray bullets fired in celebration, an Arab tradition popular in a city awash with guns.