Winks Blog

Triple Car Bombing Kills At Least 51

Good evening,

BAGHDAD, Iraq - A triple car bombing struck a food market in a predominantly Shiite area in central Baghdad on Saturday, killing at least 51 people a day after a U.S.-Iraqi raid against Sunni insurgents in a nearby neighborhood.

Three parked cars blew up nearly simultaneously as shoppers were buying fruit, vegetables, meat and other items in the busy al-Sadriyah district.

The blasts sent clouds of black smoke over concrete high-rises in the area, which has narrow alleys that made it difficult for ambulances and fire trucks to navigate. At least 51 people were killed and 90 wounded, said police Lt. Mohammed Khayoun and hospital officials.

A cheese vendor who was wounded said the market was full of people shopping on their way home from work.

"We heard a big explosion from the western side of the area and the second from the eastern side. After one minute the third explosion took place near us," Ahmed Salman said from a hospital bed.

It was one of the worst incidents since a bombing and mortar attack killed 215 people and wounded more than 200 in the Shiite district of Sadr City in Baghdad on Nov. 23 amid escalating sectarian conflict.

Nobody claimed responsibility for the attack, but it followed a Friday raid by Iraqi forces backed by U.S. helicopters targeting Sunni insurgents in al-Fadhil, less than a half mile away.


Have a nice evening.

posted by Wink @ 10:13 PM