Twin suicide blasts kill 7 in western Iraq

Baghdad: Two suicide bombers today blew themselves up and killed seven people at the government
compound in the provincial capital of Ramadi, local officials in the Iraqi province of Anbar said.

Insurgents frequently go after government targets in effort to destabilise the US-backed authorities, especially now as American troops prepare to leave by the end of next
year.

The first blast occurred when a suicide bomber drove a minibus packed with explosives into the entrance of the main government compound of the city, said official spokesman
Mohammed Fathi.

As people gathered to observe the destruction, another man detonated his explosive vest in their midst, said police and hospital officials.

The officials said in addition to the seven dead, another 30 people were injured by the blasts. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to the press.

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Consecutive blasts meant to catch bystanders and rescue personnel became a hallmark of al-Qaida in Iraq over the past few years.

Ramadi is the seat of the Anbar provincial government and used to be a stronghold of al-Qaida. But recently, local militia have managed to bring a measure of calm to the city
and province.

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The complex, which houses various government agencies, including the governor's offices, has been bombed twice this year.

In July, a female suicide bomber blew herself up at a reception room outside the governor's office. Earlier this month, a suicide bomber exploded outside the office complex, killing 17 people, including women and elderly people waiting to collect welfare checks.

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The Islamic State of Iraq, an al-Qaida front group, claimed responsibility for a December 2009 bombing of the same complex. Anbar's Governor, Qasim al-Fahadawi, lost a leg in that blast.