Car bomb explodes in Kirkuk, Iraq; 10 dead
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-09-18 15:41

A suicide attacker detonated a car bomb outside the Iraqi National Guard headquarters in the northern city of Kirkuk on Saturday, killing at least 10 people and wounding 20, officials said.

The blast tore through a crowd of people waiting to apply for jobs in the force, said National Guard Gen. Anwar Mohammed Amin.

The street outside the national guard building was littered with bloodied bodies, debris and shards of glass. Ambulances with sirens wailing rushed to the site of the explosion and firefighters doused flames leaping up from a burning car.

"I saw a speeding car crossing an open field heading toward the would-be recruits, then there was a huge explosion and a big fire," said Asu Ahmed, a street vendor. "There were many dead and injured people and I helped put them in ambulances."

Police Cap. Salam Zangana said at least 10 people were killed and 20 wounded in the suicide attack.

Maj. Neil O'Brien of the Army's 1st Infantry Division said he had no immediate information about the bombing or if there were any American casualties.

"This a terrorist act and all the victims are young Iraqis who just wanted to make living by joining the Iraqi national guard," said police Col. Sarhat Qadir.

The Iraqi national guard is the centerpiece of U.S.-backed efforts to build a strong Iraqi security force capable of taking over security operations in many towns and cities from American troops before January elections.

A wave of bombings, mortar attacks and shooting sprees targeting police forces and potential recruits has killed hundreds of people nationwide.

Saturday's attack was the third car bombing against the beleaguered Iraqi security forces this week. On Friday, a suicide attacker rammed an explosives-packed vehicle into a row of police cars in the capital, killing at least three, days after a car bomb near a Baghdad police station left at least 44 dead.

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