Bomb attack outside Iraqi restaurant kills 13

[News_Editor]

Bomb attack outside Iraqi restaurant kills 13

2011-09-14 20:49:42 GMT+7 (ICT)

BABEL, IRAQ (BNO NEWS) -- At least 13 people were killed on Wednesday and dozens more were injured when a car bomb exploded outside a restaurant in western Iraq, local authorities said.

An explosive-filled vehicle exploded outside a restaurant located in Shomaly, located in Iraq's western province of Babel, about 150 kilometers (93 miles) south of Baghdad. Among the 13 people killed were 10 police officers, officials told the Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

According to reports, the off-duty police officers were on their day off and planning to eat out at the township's popular restaurant when they were caught up in the explosion. The booby-trapped vehicle also injured another 43 people.

No group or terrorist organization has claimed responsibility of the attack, and it was also not immediately known if the attack was targeting the group of police officers.

Also on Wednesday, a group of gunmen opened fire at a local police patrol in the northeastern Qahira district of Baghdad, killing two police officer and wounding another two people. The gunmen were able to flee after the attack.

In a separate incident, an explosive targeted a bus carrying Iraqi soldiers in Habbaniya Camp, which is located around 35 kilometers (22 miles) east of Ramadi, the center of western Iraq's Anbar Province. As a result, at least one soldier was killed and nine others were injured.

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