Twin blasts kill seven in Iraqi town of Ramadi

27/12/2010| IslamWeb

Two blasts have killed at least 14 people in the Iraqi town of Ramadi, say officials and police.

The attacks were the second targeting a government compound in Ramadi, the capital of Anbar province, this month.

Reports suggest one bomber blew up a vehicle, and minutes later another detonated an explosives vest as people gathered at the scene.

At least four police of those killed were police officers. At least 47 people have been wounded.

"A car bomb exploded near the Anbar provincial government offices around 0930 (0630 GMT) followed about 15 minutes later by a suicide bombing," said a police spokesman, Major Rahim Zabin, according to AFP news agency.

The government compound houses the provincial council as well as the police headquarters for Anbar province, reported Reuters news agency.

Situated 100km (60 miles) west of Baghdad, Ramadi was a stronghold of Iraq's Sunni resistance after the US-led occupation of Iraq in 2003.

Overall the violence has fallen dramatically but periodic attacks remain.

On 12 December, 11 people were killed when a suicide car bomber targeted the same government office in Ramadi.

PHOTO CAPTION

Map of Iraq locating the Iraqi town of Ramadi

BBC