More than 20 people have been killed by a suicide bomber at an army recruiting centre in the Iraqi capital Baghdad. Dozens more were wounded in the blast in a queue outside the centre, which has been targeted many times. The BBC's Richard Galpin, in Baghdad, says the lack of work means there is no shortage of would-be recruits, despite the obvious dangers.
The Baghdad attack occurred in the heart of the city, close to the protected Green Zone housing government buildings and foreign embassy staff. Our correspondent says the suicide bomber walked into a large crowd of men milling about outside and detonated an explosives belt. He adds that despite previous attacks, would-be recruits are offered no protection and simply have to wait outside the centre, making them easy targets. Jobs in the Iraqi security forces are relatively well-paid, but insurgents view members as collaborators with US-led forces in Iraq. |