Explosion Rocks Iraq Shiite City; 17 Dead

BAGHDAD, Iraq – An explosion rocked the center of the predominantly Shiite Muslim city of Hilla late Saturday, killing 17 people and injuring about 40, U.S. and Polish military authorities said. The blast occurred at about 8:45 p.m. near the former Saddam Hussein mosque, said Polish Lt. Col. Robert Strzelecki.

The city, 60 miles south of the capital, Baghdad, falls under the responsibility of Polish troops serving together with American forces in Iraq.

“We know that it was a strong explosion,” Strzelecki said. “We know that there are Iraqi civilians killed and wounded.”

No coalition troops were involved, he said.

The U.S. military later said in a statement that the blast was caused by a bomb, “possibly vehicle borne” and that “initial reports indicate 17 Iraqi civilians were killed and as many as 40 civilians were injured.”

The violence came two days after insurgents launched a coordinated wave of attacks across the country which left about 100 people dead. The attacks were aimed at undermining confidence in the interim Iraqi government, which is set to take power Wednesday.