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| Deadly Bombs Hit Campaign Event in Iraq | Deadly Bombs Hit Campaign Event in Iraq |
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| BAGHDAD — Two explosions, the first from a suicide bomber and the second from a homemade bomb, ripped through a tent at a political rally on Saturday in Baquba, north of the capital, where voters and candidates had gathered for lunch. | BAGHDAD — Two explosions, the first from a suicide bomber and the second from a homemade bomb, ripped through a tent at a political rally on Saturday in Baquba, north of the capital, where voters and candidates had gathered for lunch. |
| The attack left 20 people dead and nearly 55 wounded, according to local officials, and heightened concerns about violence before local elections scheduled for April 20. Among the wounded were four political candidates, according to a local official. | The attack left 20 people dead and nearly 55 wounded, according to local officials, and heightened concerns about violence before local elections scheduled for April 20. Among the wounded were four political candidates, according to a local official. |
| The attack occurred in a poor neighborhood in Baquba, the capital of Diyala Province, a turbulent region whose population is a mix of Sunni and Shiite Muslims. The explosions struck a political event organized by Azimon, a largely Sunni party. No group took immediate responsibility for the attack, but it had the hallmarks of Al Qaeda in Mesopotamia, which frequently deploys suicide bombers to strike not just at Shiite citizens, but also at security forces and Sunnis aligned with Iraq’s government. | The attack occurred in a poor neighborhood in Baquba, the capital of Diyala Province, a turbulent region whose population is a mix of Sunni and Shiite Muslims. The explosions struck a political event organized by Azimon, a largely Sunni party. No group took immediate responsibility for the attack, but it had the hallmarks of Al Qaeda in Mesopotamia, which frequently deploys suicide bombers to strike not just at Shiite citizens, but also at security forces and Sunnis aligned with Iraq’s government. |
| The explosions struck in tightly packed quarters inside the tent and left a gory aftermath. | The explosions struck in tightly packed quarters inside the tent and left a gory aftermath. |
| “It was like a red pond,” said one eyewitness, Muhammed Hamdi. “People were running over the dead ones. The place was full of blood.” | “It was like a red pond,” said one eyewitness, Muhammed Hamdi. “People were running over the dead ones. The place was full of blood.” |
| The lunch was hosted by Muthana al-Jourani, a Sunni candidate in the elections and a member of Azimon. The party had been a component of the Iraqiya coalition, a group of mostly Sunni lawmakers that won the most seats in Parliament during the last national elections, in 2010. | The lunch was hosted by Muthana al-Jourani, a Sunni candidate in the elections and a member of Azimon. The party had been a component of the Iraqiya coalition, a group of mostly Sunni lawmakers that won the most seats in Parliament during the last national elections, in 2010. |
| Security concerns have already delayed elections in two largely Sunni provinces, Anbar and Nineveh, and it was unclear if Saturday’s violence would prompt calls for wider delays. The elections will be the first test of Iraq’s fragile democracy since the departure of American troops at the end of 2011. Nearly a dozen candidates in the provincial elections have been assassinated. | Security concerns have already delayed elections in two largely Sunni provinces, Anbar and Nineveh, and it was unclear if Saturday’s violence would prompt calls for wider delays. The elections will be the first test of Iraq’s fragile democracy since the departure of American troops at the end of 2011. Nearly a dozen candidates in the provincial elections have been assassinated. |
| The delays in Anbar and Nineveh came after widespread — and continuing — protests by Sunnis against the Shiite-dominated government. The decision to postpone those elections, made by the cabinet led by Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki, was criticized by provincial officials as well as by the United States State Department. | |
| Iraq, of course, has held elections in recent years amid the threat of violence, and many see the delay as a politically motivated effort by Mr. Maliki to deny the Sunni population its democratic right to vote. | Iraq, of course, has held elections in recent years amid the threat of violence, and many see the delay as a politically motivated effort by Mr. Maliki to deny the Sunni population its democratic right to vote. |
| “This will not stop us from participating in the election, as we have a message and we will continue with it,” said Muhammed al-Hadlushi, the head of Azimon, who spoke from a hospital where he was receiving treatment for wounds to his arms and a leg. | “This will not stop us from participating in the election, as we have a message and we will continue with it,” said Muhammed al-Hadlushi, the head of Azimon, who spoke from a hospital where he was receiving treatment for wounds to his arms and a leg. |
| The attack left some bracing for more violence in the next two weeks. | The attack left some bracing for more violence in the next two weeks. |
| “I was expecting such attacks at events for the elections,” said Jihad al-Bakri, a security expert and former officer in the Iraqi Army who lives in Diyala. “Al Qaeda is here in Diyala, and they want to prevent the elections from happening. More bombings will happen before the elections, and more attacks on candidates will happen.” | “I was expecting such attacks at events for the elections,” said Jihad al-Bakri, a security expert and former officer in the Iraqi Army who lives in Diyala. “Al Qaeda is here in Diyala, and they want to prevent the elections from happening. More bombings will happen before the elections, and more attacks on candidates will happen.” |
An employee of The New York Times contributed reporting from Diyala Province, Iraq. | An employee of The New York Times contributed reporting from Diyala Province, Iraq. |