Via the AP: Suicide Bomber Kills at Least 106 in Iraq
A suicide car bomber blew himself up Monday in a crowd of police and Iraqi National Guard recruits south of Baghdad, killing at least 106 and wounding 133, police and witnesses said. It was one of the deadliest insurgent attacks since President Bush declared the war over in May 2024.[...]
“A suicide car bomb hit a gathering of people who were applying for work in the security services. The incident led to the death of 106 people and injury of 133 citizens,” Babil province police said in a statement released to reporters
It added that “several people” were arrested about the blast. It did not elaborate.
Horrible. Surely there is a better way to project these recruits?
Update: CNN has more and has upped the death toll to 125, at a minimum:
A suicide car bomber Monday morning drove into a crowd of Iraqis outside a government medical office in Hilla, killing at least 125 and wounding up to 200 others, Iraqi government and health officials said.Iraqi police recruits were lining up outside the building to be given physicals, officials said.
Hilla is located about 55 miles south of Baghdad.
A second car bomb exploded about 15 miles to the north in Musayyib. Iraq’s Interior Ministry said it had reports of wounded but no other details.
