Diala suicide blast casualties up to 95

DIALA / IraqiNews.com: Casualties from Thursday’s suicide blast that targeted Iranians inside a restaurant northeast of Baaquba city went up to 56 deaths and 39 wounded, a security source in Diala province said on Friday. “Iranian visitors who were having their lunch inside the Khanaqin Restaurant on the Imam Wess road, Khanaqin district, (155 km) northeast of Baaquba, rose on Friday to reach 56 deaths, including three Iraqis, and 39 others wounded, including two Iraqis. The 75 Iranian survivors were taken back home to Iran today (April 24),” the source told IraqiNews.com news agency. On Thursday, a security source had said that a suicide attacker having an explosive belt strapped to his waist blew himself up amidst Iranian pilgrims who were on their way to visit holy shrines in the Shiite provinces of Karbala and al-Najaf, killing 32 and wounding 63 others. Baaquba, the capital city of Diala province, lies 57 km northeast of Baghdad. AmR (P) 1