Roadside bombs kill seven in Iraq
Sunday, 11 November 2007
BAGHDAD, Nov 10 (Agencies): Roadside bombs killed at least seven Iraqis early Saturday, including four civilians who died on minibuses on their way to work, police said. The first explosion killed two people and wounded nine around 6:15 a.m. in Baghdad's Baladiyat area, which is predominantly Shiite.
The bomb was likely aimed at a passing police patrol, but missed its target - hitting the minibus behind it instead, an officer said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to release the information.
Most of the victims were in the minibus, but some others had been riding in a pickup truck nearby, he added.
One of them was Qais Hassoun, who spoke to Associated Press Television
News at a hospital in the Sadr City area, where the victims were taken.
"We are just construction workers, trying to get to our jobs. We were riding in the minibus when the explosion went off," Hassoun said, visibly shaken.
Footage of the blast site showed a blue minibus with its windows shattered and tires shredded. Blood was splashed across the vehicle's upholstered bench seats.
Other victims lay on gurneys in a crowded, grimy hospital corridor. One man laid on his back while medical workers wrapped white gauze up the length of his broken leg.
The bomb was likely aimed at a passing police patrol, but missed its target - hitting the minibus behind it instead, an officer said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to release the information.
Most of the victims were in the minibus, but some others had been riding in a pickup truck nearby, he added.
One of them was Qais Hassoun, who spoke to Associated Press Television
News at a hospital in the Sadr City area, where the victims were taken.
"We are just construction workers, trying to get to our jobs. We were riding in the minibus when the explosion went off," Hassoun said, visibly shaken.
Footage of the blast site showed a blue minibus with its windows shattered and tires shredded. Blood was splashed across the vehicle's upholstered bench seats.
Other victims lay on gurneys in a crowded, grimy hospital corridor. One man laid on his back while medical workers wrapped white gauze up the length of his broken leg.