IRAQ: At least 11 people were killed yesterday when a suspected suicide car bomber struck in a crowded commercial street in Baghdad as dozens of men wanting to join Iraq's security forces queued up to photocopy their documents.
The blast destroyed several storefronts and an ice cream stall. Tens of people were wounded by the shrapnel and clothing and footwear lay strewn in pools of blood on nearby pavements in the wake of the blasts. Iraqis covered burnt flesh with store banners torn down by the explosion.
Of late, insurgents have repeatedly targeted Iraqis queuing up to apply to join the police and National Guard. Last week, a suicide car bomb attack on a queue of recruits outside a Baghdad police station killed 47 people.
At the scene of yesterday's blast, glass from shop and car windows littered the street while overhead cables were severed and chunks of twisted metal were scattered across the area.
US soldiers riding armoured vehicles cordoned off the area and firefighters doused water on burning cars in a bid to stem the flames. At least 10 cars were destroyed in the explosion.
"I was just standing here talking and then I heard two huge explosions," said Humam Abdul-Hadi, the proprietor of a nearby electrical goods store. He said an ice cream restaurant had taken the brunt of the blast.
"I don't even know who they were targeting," said Mr Abdul-Hadi, who suffered shrapnel wounds to the face and neck. "They just bombed people eating ice cream."
Police officer Ameer Sattar said he was nearby when the bomber struck.
"When we turned into the street, we saw a car explode. There were more than 300 people here, it was so crowded," he said.
Following yesterday's attacks, Muhammad Naim Hanoun (43) said it was no longer his desire to join Iraq's security forces.
"I am not going to try to volunteer again. It is not worth it. I don't want their money," he said. "After what I saw, no money could get me back my life if I lost it. I saw some people flung through the air and then fall to the ground, and then some started screaming," Mr Hanoun said.
Later yesterday, a suspected suicide bomber detonated his vehicle near a US military convoy in Baghdad's upscale Mansour district, wounding three people, police and witnesses said.
Witnesses said US troops had moved into the area shortly before the blast. Images from Reuters television showed two Humvees military vehicles on fire and a thick column of black smoke billowing from the area.
A policeman at the scene said three people were wounded, while another said he believed the attack was carried out by a suicide car bomber, who was killed.
"I saw a big ball of fire and then heard a huge explosion," said Haider Mousawi, a spokesman for Iraqi Shia politician Ahmad Chalabi, who added that US forces had been guarding a local council meeting. "It was definitely a car bomb," Mr Mousawi said."
Meanwhile, two US soldiers have been charged with premeditated murder in the deaths of three Iraqi civilians, according to the US military.
The soldiers charged are Sergeant Michael Williams and Specialist Brent May, both members of the 1st Cavalry Division, which is currently operating in and around Baghdad.
Sgt Williams has also been charged with obstruction of justice and making a false official statement, the 1st Cavalry Division said.
The statement said no specifics relating to the charges could be revealed as it is currently under investigation by the Army's Criminal Investigation Division. - (Reuters)