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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Marketplace bomb kills 25 in Baghdad


An Iraqi soldier stands at the site of a car bombing in Kirkuk on Thursday. Associated Press
 (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)
Megan Greenwell Washington Post

BAGHDAD – A car bomb tore through a crowded market in central Baghdad on Thursday evening, killing at least 25 people and injuring 110, police said.

A cloud of black smoke rose over much of the city after the explosion, which set a three-story apartment building on fire. Police said many of the victims were women shopping for food or clothing.

The explosion was the latest in a string of car bombs in Karrada, a largely Shiite district long considered one of Baghdad’s safest neighborhoods. More than 50 people have been killed in seven car bomb attacks in the neighborhood this month. There was no significant violence in Karrada in June, police records show.

Since the war began, Karrada had been one of few places in Baghdad to have escaped intense sectarian violence. Sunnis and Shiites driven out of other areas of the capital flocked to the neighborhood, willing to pay high rents for the promise of some safety.

A sprawling set of streets with dozens of produce stalls, clothing stores and restaurants, Karrada is especially known for its jewelry stores, which sell products from cheap costume bracelets to gold rings. Thursday afternoons are one of the busiest times in Karrada, as people finish their shopping before the midday curfew on Friday, the Muslim holy day.

The sudden wave of attacks jarred many Baghdad residents, who had come to regard Karrada as a place where they could spend a leisurely few hours with relatively little fear. Police said they will increase patrols around the area, especially after the Iraqi soccer team plays in its first-ever Asian Cup championship on Sunday.

“I used to feel comfortable and secure when I went to Karrada,” said Shaymaa Hassan, 24. “I liked to shop for clothes and shoes there. Now I don’t go unless I have to.”

Also Thursday, the second-ranking U.S. commander in Iraq reiterated accusations that Iran is supporting Iraqi militias, telling reporters that insurgents are being trained in Iran to improve their skills in attacking U.S. and other targets in Iraq.

“In the last three months we have seen a significant improvement in the capability of mortarmen and rocketeers to provide accurate fire into the Green Zone and other places,” said Lt. Gen. Raymond Odierno, operational commander of U.S. forces in Iraq. The Green Zone is the fortified district that includes Iraqi government buildings and the U.S. Embassy. “We think this is directly related to training conducted inside Iran.”

Iran denies that its operatives are providing money, weapons or training to Iraqi insurgents. Critics have said U.S. officials have provided no concrete evidence linking such support to Iran’s leadership.