Bombs Target Iraqi's Celebrating Soccer Win
Iraqi soccer fans were celebrating their team's win in Asia Cup semifinal.
BAGHDAD July 25, 2007— -- Two suicide car bombings struck soccer fans inBaghdad as they were celebrating Iraq's victory in the Asian Cupsemifinal on Wednesday, killing at least 50 people and woundingmore than 100, officials said.
The victims were among the thousands of revelers who took to thestreets of the capital after the country's national soccer teambeat South Korea to reach the tournament's final against SaudiArabia on Sunday in Jakarta, Indonesia.
The first attack took place about 6:30 p.m. when a bomberexploded in a crowd of people cheering near a well-known ice creamparlor in Baghdad's western neighborhood of Mansour, according topolice and hospital officials. At least 30 people were killed and75 were wounded, an Interior Ministry official said.
Another suicide car bomber detonated his payload about 45minutes later in the midst of dozens of vehicles filled withrevelers near an Iraqi army checkpoint in the eastern district ofGhadeer, killing at least 20 people, including two soldiers, andwounding 61, according to the ministry official.
All the officials spoke on condition of anonymity because theywere not authorized to release information.
The second attack occurred as Iraqis of all ages were packed ontop of cars, pickups and minibuses, waving Iraqi flags and shirts,while others danced in the streets near the checkpoint. Men puttowels over their heads or sprayed cars with water for relief inthe hot summer weather.
Thousands of fans also gathered in the central district ofKarradah to celebrate, dancing, beating drums and chanting "Iraq,Iraq." Elsewhere in city, traffic snarled as cars, Iraqi flagsflying from their windows, moved slowly amid hundreds of fans.Motorists honked their horns.
The successful run in the Asian Cup has been a cause of much joyin this wartorn country, with Iraqis saying the mixed makeup of theteam showed the country's rival ethnic and religious factions canunite despite years of sectarian violence.
Preliminary police reports said one person was also killed and17 wounded by celebratory gunfire.
