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Suicide car bomb kills 19 at Iraqi prison | |
(about 6 hours later) | |
A suicide car bomber has killed 19 people at a prison gate near Baghdad, Iraqi officials say. | |
They say at least 22 people were injured in the attack in the town of Taji, some 25km (15 miles) north of the capital. | |
The casualties reportedly include security guards, prison staff and police officers. | The casualties reportedly include security guards, prison staff and police officers. |
It was not immediately clear if the early morning attack was part of a prison escape attempt. | It was not immediately clear if the early morning attack was part of a prison escape attempt. |
'Smoke and fire' | |
The attacker detonated the bomb at about 08:00 local time (05:00 GMT) at the main entrance to the Hout prison, officials say. | |
The blast happened as many prison employees were on their way to start their shifts at the jail. | The blast happened as many prison employees were on their way to start their shifts at the jail. |
"There was smoke and fire all around the place. I saw bodies of four policemen on the ground and scattered flesh," police officer Hisham Ahmed was quoted as saying by the Associated Press news agency. | |
"Women were among the wounded," he added. | |
Police had to fire into the air to disperse the crowds of onlookers after the explosion, fearing a second blast. | |
It was a third major attack in Iraq in the past five days. | |
On Saturday, at least 15 people died and more than 20 were injured in a series of bomb explosions in and around Baghdad. | |
Two days earlier, bomb blasts in the southern city of Basra left at least 19 people dead and 65 injured. | |
Violence in Iraq has declined from its peak in 2006-2007, but regular attacks by militants have raised concerns over whether the planned withdrawal of US troops - due to be completed by the end of this year - will lead to a worsening of the security situation. | Violence in Iraq has declined from its peak in 2006-2007, but regular attacks by militants have raised concerns over whether the planned withdrawal of US troops - due to be completed by the end of this year - will lead to a worsening of the security situation. |
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