BAGHDAD: A bomb exploded near a soccer field while teenagers were playing south of Baghdad, the deadliest of three attacks that left eight dead in Iraq yesterday, according to authorities.
The blast struck in Madain, a mixed town of Sunni and Shia Muslims about 25 kilometres southeast of the Iraqi capital. Police said at least five people were killed and 13 wounded.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for yesterday’s bombing. Much of the recent violence is the work of Iraq’s Al Qaeda arm, which frequently targets civilian areas in an effort to undermine the Shia-led government.
Soccer fields and other areas that are hard to protect have been increasingly targeted by militants in recent months. A bomb attack on a youth soccer game in Madain in August left at least three dead.
Elsewhere yesterday, authorities said gunmen killed two police officers at checkpoint in the restive city of Mosul. Another person was shot dead at a drug store in the city, police said.
Hospital officials confirmed the casualty figures. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorised the release the information to journalists.
AP
