Iraq restaurant blast kills 15
- 13 years ago
The aftermath of a car bomb explosion outside a tourist restaurant in the southern Iraqi town of al-Hamza.
Police sources say at least 15 people were killed and 36 wounded in the attack.
The blast took place outside the Ehsan tourist restaurant, a popular rest-stop on a main highway some 100 kilometres south of Baghdad.
One witness blames the attack on what he calls "takfiris" - Muslims who condone violence against people of other faith or sects.
(SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) UNIDENTIFIED WITNESS:
"A car bomb was driven in by a terrorist and parked near innocent people and then detonated, killing and wounding dozens of them. These are terrorist attacks that are conducted by the takfiris against the Iraqi people."
Elsewhere, two Iraqi soldiers were killed and 10 wounded when a bomb attached to a military bus exploded at this army base 85 kilometres west of Baghdad.
Assaults on Iraq's army and police have been rising as they prepare to take sole responsibility for security in the country, ahead of an expected full withdrawal of US troops by the end of the year.
Nick Rowlands, Reuters.
Police sources say at least 15 people were killed and 36 wounded in the attack.
The blast took place outside the Ehsan tourist restaurant, a popular rest-stop on a main highway some 100 kilometres south of Baghdad.
One witness blames the attack on what he calls "takfiris" - Muslims who condone violence against people of other faith or sects.
(SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) UNIDENTIFIED WITNESS:
"A car bomb was driven in by a terrorist and parked near innocent people and then detonated, killing and wounding dozens of them. These are terrorist attacks that are conducted by the takfiris against the Iraqi people."
Elsewhere, two Iraqi soldiers were killed and 10 wounded when a bomb attached to a military bus exploded at this army base 85 kilometres west of Baghdad.
Assaults on Iraq's army and police have been rising as they prepare to take sole responsibility for security in the country, ahead of an expected full withdrawal of US troops by the end of the year.
Nick Rowlands, Reuters.