Kirkuk casualties on the rise; 47 killed, 100 wounded

KIRKUK / IraqiNews.com: Casualties from the explosion that ripped through northern Kirkuk city earlier today have increased further, reaching 47 dead and 100 wounded persons, according to a local police source. “A suicide bomber blew himself up inside a restaurant in northern Kirkuk, killing 47 persons and wounding 100 others,” the source told IraqiNews.com. Meanwhile, the local police chief in Kirkuk, Brig. Sarhad Qadir, said that the blast was caused by an improvised explosive device (IED). The explosion comes amidst tight security measures in preparation for Iraqi President Jalal al-Talabani’s visit to the city. Kirkuk, 250 km (156 miles) north of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, sits on the ruins of a 5,000-year-old settlement. Because of the strategic geographical location of the city, Kirkuk was the battle ground for three empires, Assyria, Babylonia and Media which controlled the city at various times. SS (P) 1