Iraq’s Explosion: Several Martyred As Blast Rocks Basra City

By Staff, Agencies

Several people have been martyred and four others wounded in an explosion that rocked the center of Iraq’s southern city of Basra, the Iraqi military said.

In a statement on Tuesday, the military said a motorcycle rigged with explosives was the cause of the blast, which sent a column of black smoke into the sky.

Iraq’s Security Media Cell, an outlet affiliated with the country’s security forces, said the four people died as a result of the fire in two cars that were near the motorcycle.

“Forensic experts and specialized technical teams are still present at the scene of the accident to determine its nature and give more details about the nature of the accident,” said Saad Maan, the head of the Security Media Cell, in a statement.

“The cell will announce in a later statement broader details after completing investigations and technical reports,” he added.

In a statement, a senior security source told the Rudaw media network that the explosion took place opposite Al-Jumhouri Hospital in the city centre by the Al-Samoud intersection.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the explosion. Basra Governor Asaad al-Edani told reporters the blast “carries fingerprints of Daesh [Arabic Acronym for the terrorist ‘ISIS/ISIL’ group]

Police and health sources earlier told the news agency Reuters that 20 other people were wounded in the blast.