LOC11:22
08:22 GMT
Karbala blast kills 72 Iraqis, injures scores of others
BASRA, April 14 (KUNA) -- At least 72 Iraqis were killed Saturday in a
blast in a parking lot and bus stop area in Karbala, central Iraq, and scores
of others were injured, most of them critically, informed sources told KUNA.
The security sources said a suicide bomber drove a vehicle into the crowded
parking lot in Al-Mukhayyam area and added the number of victims reported was
initial and could still go up as the area was very crowded at such early hours
of the morning.
Earlier reports Saturday said the dead were 30 and injured 60 people.
An official from the city police told KUNA the car was parked less than 100
meters from the shrine of Imam Al-Hussein, the area known as Al-Mukhayyam.
He said most of those killed were women and children. Most of the injured,
he said, suffered burns of varying severity.
Meanwhile, the Iraqi Health Ministry confirmed the earlier report of 30
killed and 60 injured.
Locals told KUNA at least 15 ambulances rushed to the scene and witnesses
said the victims could be as many as 50 killed and over 70 injured. (end)
mhg.wsa
KUNA 141122 Apr 07NNNN