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Suicide blast at Turkish embassy

Suicide blast at Turkish embassy

A blast has rocked the Turkish embassy in Baghdad, killing at least one person.

The US military revealed that the explosion was caused by a car bomb, which exploded around 500 metres from the back of the embassy building.

A protective blast wall close to the embassy absorbed most of the explosion and prevented further casualties.

The dead person is thought to have been the bomber.

Two embassy employees, including a security guard, are believed to have been wounded.

The incident comes just a week after the Turkish parliament authorised plans to send peacekeeping troops into Iraq.

The proposal to send Turkish troops into Iraq was welcomed by Washington, but strongly opposed by some members of the Iraqi Governing Council.

In the Turkish capital, Ankara, a foreign ministry spokesman strongly condemned the attack and said: “Just like the attack on the United Nations, this attack shows the security situation in Iraq is terrible.

“Allies of the United States must move quickly to help stabilise the country.”

On Sunday a car bomb exploded outside the Baghdad hotel used by US officials and members of the Iraqi Governing Council, killing at least eight people, including the bomber.