Death toll rises to 24 in bomb blast in Baghdad's busy Shorja area

The death toll rose to 24 people killed and up to 35 others wounded in the bomb blast in Baghdad's commercial area of Shorja, a police source said.

"Our latest report said that 24 civilians were killed and 35 others wounded when a bomb detonated in the Shorja area," the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

Earlier, the police said that a bomb blast occurred shortly after 10:00 a.m. (0600 GMT) in the busy commercial area of Shorja, killing a civilian and wounding more than ten others.

Iraqi security forces and ambulances rushed to the scene to secure the area and evacuate casualties, the source added.

Separately, a coordinated bomb and car bomb blasts rocked the Karradah neighborhood in southern Baghdad, killing a total of two people and wounding 21 others.

"A bomb went off in a road near the Mussa Bin Nassir Fuel station in Karradah at around 11:00 a.m. (0700 GMT) and while police patrol approach the scene a car bomb waiting for them detonated," the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

Earlier in the day, the police said that apparently a bike-bomb left close to the office of a recruitment center in Hilla, 100 km south of Baghdad, detonated at about 8:00 a.m. (0400 GMT) and killed at least 12 people and wounded some 30 others.

The blast took place when a crowd of volunteers gathered outside the office to sign up for the army, the source added.

Meanwhile, police Lt. Osama Ahmed said a man posing as a potential army recruit had planted the bicycle bomb.

The blasts follows several days of heavy bloodshed outside the capital city of Baghdad, where U.S. and Iraqi troops have mounted a major security crackdown.

Source: Xinhua