13 dead in Baghdad market blast

At least 36 others were hurt when a bomb hidden in a box carrying pigeons struck a popular animal market in central Baghdad.

A bomb hidden in a box carrying pigeons struck a popular animal market in central Baghdad on Friday, killing at least 13 people and wounding some three dozen, officials and a witness said.

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The explosive device was hidden in a box when it detonated at about 10 am at the Souq al-Ghazl or Spinning Market, which attracts buyers, sellers and farmers peddling birds, dogs, cats and other animals as diverse as sheep and goats.

Police and hospital officials said at least 13 people were killed and 33 were wounded.

A witness said a man arrived with an egg carton containing pigeons for sale, but it exploded after he walked away to get a drink, tearing through the potential buyers gathering around the box.

"I was about 60 metres from the blast occurred," said Raad Hassan, a frequent customer at the market.

"My friends and I rushed to the scene where we saw burned dead bodies, pieces of flesh and several dead expensive puppies and birds."