MOSUL, Iraq, May 15, (AFP) -A double bomb attack at a football match in northern Iraq, which was unprotected by security forces, killed 25 people on Friday in the second incident this week to cause mass casualties.
The explosion, which also left 120 people wounded according to hospital officials, occurred at around 6:00 pm (1500 GMT) in Tal Afar, 380 kilometres (240 miles) north of Baghdad, a police officer told AFP.
Eyewitnesses said around 250 people were watching the game when the attackers struck and that no police or soldiers were on duty.
“We heard a loud explosion and the people behind me shielded me from the shrapnel,” said spectator Hussein Nashad, 29.
“I ran away, but then I heard someone shout 'Allahu akbar' (God is greatest), and then there was another explosion.”The police officer said the double blasts were caused by a car bomb followed by a suicide attack. An interior ministry official said 25 people were killed and hospital officials said 120 others were wounded.
The incident came four days after a devastating series of attacks in five cities blamed on Al-Qaeda killed 110 people, in the bloodiest violence this year. |
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