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Car bombing kills 27 at Iraq army base | Car bombing kills 27 at Iraq army base |
(about 7 hours later) | |
At least 27 people have been killed by a car bomb that exploded at the entrance to an Iraqi army base near Baghdad, police and medics say. | At least 27 people have been killed by a car bomb that exploded at the entrance to an Iraqi army base near Baghdad, police and medics say. |
More than 40 others were wounded by the blast, which occurred at 12:00 (09:00 GMT) at the facility in Taji, about 25km (15 miles) north of the capital. | More than 40 others were wounded by the blast, which occurred at 12:00 (09:00 GMT) at the facility in Taji, about 25km (15 miles) north of the capital. |
One report said potential new recruits gathered outside were the target. | One report said potential new recruits gathered outside were the target. |
Although violence has decreased in Iraq since its peak in 2006 and 2007, insurgent attacks are still common. | |
On Monday, two car bombings killed at least four people and wounded 16 others around Baghdad. | On Monday, two car bombings killed at least four people and wounded 16 others around Baghdad. |
The first took place at a market in the mainly Shia district of al-Ubaidi, while the second struck an army patrol in Taji, wounding several soldiers. | The first took place at a market in the mainly Shia district of al-Ubaidi, while the second struck an army patrol in Taji, wounding several soldiers. |
It is not clear how many of the victims of Tuesday's blast were soldiers. One report said as many as 22 were among the dead. | |
The explosion appears to have occurred as they left the base at lunchtime and walked towards minibuses waiting to transport them. | |
However, sources told the AFP news agency there had also been a recruitment event on Tuesday to welcome potential new soldiers. | |
Such events have been targeted by militants in the past. In January 2011, a suicide bomber blew himself up among a crowd of police recruits in the city of Tikrit, killing 50 people. | |
Following Tuesday's blast, heavy security was in place around Kadhamiya hospital, where many of the victims were taken for treatment. | |
The incident is believed to be the deadliest single attack in Iraq since 23 July, when a series of co-ordinated blasts - also in Taji - killed 42 people. | |
No group has said it was behind the bombing, although previous attacks on army bases have been claimed by the Islamic State of Iraq, a radical Sunni Islamist militant umbrella group that includes al-Qaeda. |