Baghdad, market, car bomb

Tens of deaths, more than 70 injured

BAGDAD – More blood in Iraq. A car bomb exploded this afternoon in a market, in the suburb of al-Hurriya. According to the police, the explosion caused more than 50 deaths and at least 75 wounded, including women and children. Rescuers found themselves facing an apocalyptic scene: corpses, gutted buildings, burned shops and cars bent like wreckage. For several hours the area was a bustle of ambulances, which transported the injured to various hospitals. This is the attack with the most victims for a month now.

The explosion occurred near the main market in a majority Shiite area in the north-west of the city. Dozens of wounded were transported to hospitals in the city. According to the Iraqi and American authorities, the hand of Al Qaida is behind the massacre, and point the finger at the Sunnis loyal to Moqtada al Sadr.

The situation in Baghdad remained relatively quiet until early May when, near Baquba, 60 kilometers north of the capital, thirty-five people had been killed in two suicide bombings. On June 4th 18 people died in an explosion. The most frequent targets are markets or areas with many shops: in March an explosion caused 68 deaths, a month earlier a kamikaze woman had killed 99 people.

June 17, 2008