Baghdad - At least 20 people were killed and 80 wounded
Thursday evening in a central Baghdad blast, independent Voices of
Iraq reported citing a police source
A huge explosion, believed to be a car bomb, occurred in the
predominantly Shiite central neighbourhood of Karrada, causing severe
damage to cars and stores in the area, the source added.
Other witnesses said the blast resulted from a building rigged
with explosives and that the building collapsed, Voices of Iraq said.
Karrada has repeatedly seen attacks. On Monday, three car bombs
went off consecutively in the district, killing at least 12 people
and wounding 20.
In other developments Thursday, Iraq's Vice President called on
officials in charge of the Baghdad security plan to explain the
killing of 50 Iraqis celebrating the victory of their national
football team in Baghdad, Voices of Iraq reported.
Two car bombs exploded in the Iraqi capital Baghdad's Mansour
neighbourhood Wednesday evening killing 50 civilians and injuring 153
who were in the streets celebrating Iraq's national football team
reaching the finals of the Asian Nations Cup.
Tareq al-Hashemi said the killings were the result of a 'security
breach', adding: 'Those in charge of the Baghdad security plan should
provide prompt and clear explanation for what happened. Why are they
silent on these crimes as if the matter does not concern them?'
An Iraqi police source meanwhile said five Iraqi policeman from
the emergency police forces were killed and two wounded when an
explosive charge targeted their patrol in southern Hillah, 100
kilometres south of Baghdad.
Six US soldiers have been killed in an operation conducted by
joint Iraqi-US forces in the northern Baghdad neighbourhood of
Husainiya, Voices of Iraq reported, citing a spokesman for the Fardh
al-Qanoun - Law Enforcement - security plan. The spokesman added the
US forces had lifted the siege it had imposed on Husainiya.
Fardh al-Qanoun security operation commander Aboud Qanbar told
reporters in Baghdad that 'the reasons behind the security crackdown
in Husainiya were the militants' acts of closing roads, planting
explosive charges and preventing security forces from entering the
area.'
Joint US-Iraqi forces raided the predominantly-Shiite district of
Husainiya in north-eastern Baghdad late Friday. While the US military
said Saturday that six militants had been killed during an airstrike
on the Shiite stronghold, local residents said that 18 civilians had
been killed in the attack and that three houses had been destroyed.
Hundreds of angry Husainiya residents have been demonstrating in
the streets this week protesting against the siege imposed on the
district following the raid.
Other protests in Baghdad's Shiite Sadr City also broke out
calling for the lifting of the security cordon on Husainiya.
Also Thursday, US-led coalition forces detained 36 terrorist
suspects during operations in central and northern Iraq targeting the
al-Qaeda in Iraq network, the US military in Iraq reported.
© 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur 
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