Baghdad cafe bombing leaves many dead
An Iraqi policeman and civilian inspect the site of a car bomb attack that took place the previous day in Baghdad’s district of Sadr City on April 16, 2013. Dozens of attacks across Iraq, including a brazen car bombing on the way to Baghdad airport, struck just days before the country’s first elections since US troops withdrew.
A bombing at a Baghdad cafe filled with young people killed at least 26 and wounded dozens more ahead of this weekend's provincial elections.
The suicide bomber struck at about 9:30 p.m. local time, a rare evening attack.
Al Jazeera reporter Jane Arraf described the injuries as "horrific," and said the attack occurred in a largely Sunni neighborhood that was among the first to rise up against Al Qaeda.
No group immediately took responsibility for the bombing, according to BBC News.
It brought to at least 30 the number of people killed today ahead of Iraq's provincial elections on Saturday.
Earlier in the day, a car bomb struck an army convoy in Mosul, leaving three soldiers dead and five wounded.
Hours later, a police officer was killed and three others were injured by gunmen at a security checkpoint in western Baghdad.