Death toll hits 37 in Baghdad police academy attacks

Up to 37 people were killed and 76 wounded, including foreigners, when two female suicide bombers blew themselves up at an Iraqi police academy in eastern Baghdad on Tuesday, an Interior Ministry source said.

"At present, 37 policemen were killed and 76 other people wounded in the twin suicide blasts at the police academy. The numbers included US and other nationals who were training the Iraqi policemen," the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

US helicopters participated in the evacuation of the killed and the wounded foreigners to Ibn Sina Hospital in the heavily fortified Green Zone in central Baghdad, he said.

Two female suicide bombers wearing explosive vests blew themselves up at about 12:45 p.m. (0945 GMT) among classrooms filled with police students at the academy, the source added.

Earlier, a US military statement put the casualties to 27 killed and 32 wounded.

The attacks came as Iraq's former president Saddam Hussein and his seven top aides went on trials for the fourth time on charges of crimes against humanity in the Green Zone in central Baghdad.

Source: Xinhua