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| Iraqi restaurant blast kills 50 | Iraqi restaurant blast kills 50 |
| (1 day later) | |
| A suicide bomber has killed at least 50 people at a restaurant near the northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk, a regional official has told the BBC. | A suicide bomber has killed at least 50 people at a restaurant near the northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk, a regional official has told the BBC. |
| Around 100 people were also injured in the blast at the Kurdish restaurant, some 5km (three miles) north of the ethnically mixed city, police say. | Around 100 people were also injured in the blast at the Kurdish restaurant, some 5km (three miles) north of the ethnically mixed city, police say. |
| Kurdish officials were in the restaurant having lunch with Arab tribal leaders at the time. | Kurdish officials were in the restaurant having lunch with Arab tribal leaders at the time. |
| The blast came as Muslims celebrated the Eid-al-Adha holiday. | The blast came as Muslims celebrated the Eid-al-Adha holiday. |
| Families were eating lunch in the Abdullah restaurant, located on the main road to Irbil, when it happened. | Families were eating lunch in the Abdullah restaurant, located on the main road to Irbil, when it happened. |
| A suicide bomber activated an explosives belt in the middle of the restaurant, officials and at least one witness say. | A suicide bomber activated an explosives belt in the middle of the restaurant, officials and at least one witness say. |
| A branch of the same restaurant in Kirkuk was hit by a car bomb last year, with 25 people killed. | A branch of the same restaurant in Kirkuk was hit by a car bomb last year, with 25 people killed. |
| Relations in Kirkuk have often been tense between Iraqi Arabs, Kurds and Turkmens. | Relations in Kirkuk have often been tense between Iraqi Arabs, Kurds and Turkmens. |
| Bereaved families | Bereaved families |
| A restaurant guard said the explosion had happened shortly after a man had parked his car outside and walked into the building. | A restaurant guard said the explosion had happened shortly after a man had parked his car outside and walked into the building. |
| I don't know where my children and my father are Rezkar Mahmoud Wounded survivor, 24 In pictures: Restaurant attackAnalysis: Kirkuk faultline | I don't know where my children and my father are Rezkar Mahmoud Wounded survivor, 24 In pictures: Restaurant attackAnalysis: Kirkuk faultline |
| The injured were taken to Kirkuk's main hospital, with 30 of them in a serious condition, an AFP news agency reporter says. | The injured were taken to Kirkuk's main hospital, with 30 of them in a serious condition, an AFP news agency reporter says. |
| As the authorities appealed for blood donors, the reporter met families bereaved by the blast. | As the authorities appealed for blood donors, the reporter met families bereaved by the blast. |
| Outside the emergency room, a five-year-old boy was crying, saying he had lost both of his parents. | Outside the emergency room, a five-year-old boy was crying, saying he had lost both of his parents. |
| Reskiya Oji, a 49-year-old Turkmen who was wounded in the arm and the leg, said from a hospital bed that her daughter, four, had been killed and she did not know the fate of her two sons. | Reskiya Oji, a 49-year-old Turkmen who was wounded in the arm and the leg, said from a hospital bed that her daughter, four, had been killed and she did not know the fate of her two sons. |
| Rezkar Mahmoud, a 24-year-old Kurd who was wounded in the leg, said he had been having lunch with his father, wife and children. | Rezkar Mahmoud, a 24-year-old Kurd who was wounded in the leg, said he had been having lunch with his father, wife and children. |
| "The restaurant was full when the bomb exploded," he said. "It sent glass flying and destroyed the walls. | "The restaurant was full when the bomb exploded," he said. "It sent glass flying and destroyed the walls. |
| "I don't know where my children and my father are." | "I don't know where my children and my father are." |
| At the restaurant, the floor was littered with broken glass and spotted with blood while plates of food and soft drinks cans stood abandoned on tables. | At the restaurant, the floor was littered with broken glass and spotted with blood while plates of food and soft drinks cans stood abandoned on tables. |
| The deputy head of Kirkuk's provincial council, Rebwar Talabani, said the restaurant had been popular with politicians. | The deputy head of Kirkuk's provincial council, Rebwar Talabani, said the restaurant had been popular with politicians. |
| "It was packed with people who go there because it's safer [than other restaurants]," he told al-Jazeera TV. | "It was packed with people who go there because it's safer [than other restaurants]," he told al-Jazeera TV. |
| "All kinds of people would go there, even politicians would hold their big meetings there." | "All kinds of people would go there, even politicians would hold their big meetings there." |
| Disputed region | Disputed region |
| The deputy governor of Kirkuk, Saeed Rakan, told the BBC Arabic service that the attack appeared to have been politically motivated. | The deputy governor of Kirkuk, Saeed Rakan, told the BBC Arabic service that the attack appeared to have been politically motivated. |
| Children were among the casualties | Children were among the casualties |
| A Patriotic Union of Kurdistan delegation was meeting councillors from the al-Hawija area, he said, adding: "I think al-Hawija councillors were the target. A number of them sustained light injuries. The bodyguards of al-Hawija council chairman were badly injured." | A Patriotic Union of Kurdistan delegation was meeting councillors from the al-Hawija area, he said, adding: "I think al-Hawija councillors were the target. A number of them sustained light injuries. The bodyguards of al-Hawija council chairman were badly injured." |
| Although violent incidents in Iraq as a whole have dropped sharply this year, the area around the northern cities of Kirkuk and Mosul remains dangerous, the BBC's Humphrey Hawksley reports from Baghdad. | Although violent incidents in Iraq as a whole have dropped sharply this year, the area around the northern cities of Kirkuk and Mosul remains dangerous, the BBC's Humphrey Hawksley reports from Baghdad. |
| Tension is so high in Kirkuk that provincial elections planned for most of Iraq next year will not be held in the city, our correspondent adds. | Tension is so high in Kirkuk that provincial elections planned for most of Iraq next year will not be held in the city, our correspondent adds. |
| Control of oil-rich Kirkuk is disputed between Iraqi Arabs, Kurds and ethnic Turkmens. | Control of oil-rich Kirkuk is disputed between Iraqi Arabs, Kurds and ethnic Turkmens. |
| Iraqi Kurds believe they should control the city, which has a Kurdish majority, but it lies outside their semi-autonomous northern enclave. | Iraqi Kurds believe they should control the city, which has a Kurdish majority, but it lies outside their semi-autonomous northern enclave. |
| Ethnic Arabs and Turkmens say it should be under the control of the central government. | Ethnic Arabs and Turkmens say it should be under the control of the central government. |