Suicide car bomber targets Iraqi PM's party offices

A suicide bomber detonated his car near a checkpoint outside the offices of Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari’s Islamic Dawa Party today, killing one guard and injuring at least one more.

The prime minister was not at the building in Baghdad’s Mansour neighbourhood at the time of the attack, said party official Ayad al-Nedawi. He said the suicide bomber detonated the car near a checkpoint about 80 feet away from the party’s offices, which used to be al-Jaafari’s house.

The casualties were armed party members guarding the compound, al-Nedawi said. Following the blast, US troops blocked the roads leading to the offices.

The attack occurred at about 12.30pm (9.30am Irish time), said police 1st Lt. Thair Mahmoud. He confirmed that one was killed and at least one other person was wounded.

Yarmouk’s hospital, however, reported that the blast killed one and wounded four.