Suicide bomber kills 45, injuries 150 at Iraqi recruiting center

Suicide bomber kills 45, injuries 150 at Iraqi recruiting center

2011-01-18 22:16:41 GMT+7 (ICT)

TIKRIT, IRAQ (BNO NEWS) -- A suicide bomber on Tuesday killed at least 45 people and injured 150 others at a recruiting center in northern Iraq, local media reported.

The terrorist attack took place at around 10.15 a.m. local time at a police recruitment center in Tikrit, about 175 kilometers (108 miles) north of Baghdad, according to the Aswat al-Iraq news agency. The explosion occurred among a crowd of police recruits.

"The Salah al-Din educational hospital received 45 bodies and 150 wounded persons as a result of the suicide explosion that targeted a police recruitment center in central Tikrit," a source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency, adding: "Security forces launched a crackdown operation around the scene in central Tikrit to hunt down wanted men."

According to other reports, the police recruits had been queuing to enter the center for hours when an attacker appeared suddenly and detonated himself at the entrance of the building.

Most of the victims were police officers or police recruits. So far, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack, which was the deadliest since October 31, 2010, and the first since the formation of the new government on December 21.

In October, a siege at a Baghdad church left 53 dead and around 70 others wounded, causing global outrage. The attack took place when a group of gunmen attacked a Catholic church with an explosive device planted in a vest.

The Islamic State of Iraq (ISI) were responsible for the attack as they have demanded the release of alleged female prisoners from Iraqi and Egyptian custody. The attack was condemned by the international community, including the United Nations.

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