The blast occurred as a crowd of people were watching a football match on television at the cafe. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
BAGHDAD - NINE civilians were killed and 31 others were wounded when a bomb exploded inside a coffee shop in southern Baghdad late on Wednesday, an interior ministry official said.
The blast occurred as a crowd of people were watching a football match on television at the cafe, the official said on Thursday.
While bombings remain a regular occurrence in Iraq, the level of violence has dropped markedly in recent months - last month saw the fewest deaths from violence since the US-led invasion in 2003, with 124 civilians, six soldiers and 25 policemen killed by attacks, according to official figures.
The bombing comes just weeks ahead of the planned June 30 withdrawal of American troops from Iraqi cities and major towns. -- AFP
