|
ARBIL, Iraq-Kurdistan (Reuters) - A suicide
bomber killed at least 60 people and wounded 150
more when he blew himself up at the office of a
Kurdish party in the northern Iraqi city of Arbil on
Wednesday, a health official said.
The bomber blew himself up at the local offices of
the Kurdistan Democratic Party, which also served as
a recruiting center for police.
Witnesses said they saw 25 bodies being removed from
the area.
The Kurdistan Democratic Party was one of two main
parties in a Kurdish coalition that came second
during polls on Jan. 30.
Police and security officials said a large crowd was
gathered outside the building and recruiting center
when the suicide bomber struck.
The attack in the Kurdish city will step up pressure
on the new Iraqi government, which was sworn in on
Tuesday but is incomplete with five permanent
ministers and two deputy prime ministers yet to be
named.
Iraq's new leaders are trying to ease sectarian
tensions which have deepened since the elections
turned Shi'ites and Kurds into the most powerful
groups and sidelined Sunnis, who were dominant under
Saddam Hussein.
Reuters
Suicide bomber kills 60 in northern Iraq -
Guardian
Agencies, Wednesday May 4, 2005
A suicide bomber killed at least 60 people and
wounded 150 more today in northern Iraq when he
walked into a crowd of people outside a police
recruiting office and blew himself up.
Taxis and ambulances rushed to the scene in the
Kurdish city of Irbil, 200 miles north of Baghdad,
ferrying the dead and wounded to local hospitals.
The bomber struck as a large crowd was gathered
outside the local offices of the Kurdistan
Democratic party, which also serves as a police
recruiting centre, police and security officials
said.
The latest attack added to a week of escalating
violence following the formation of the new Iraqi
government. The Kurdistan Democratic party is one of
two main parties in the Kurdish coalition that took
second place in Iraq's election on January 30.
Increased attacks by insurgents in the last week
have targeted convoys of US and Iraqi troops, and
Iraqi police on patrol or at recruitment centres.
Top |
®