Baghdad: At least 7 hurt in church blast

Dunya News

Explosion occurred after the church had been cleared of parishioners following services on Easter.

A roadside bomb exploded near the rear entrance of a Catholic church in Baghdad after Easter services on Sunday, injuring at least seven people.The bomb blew up outside Sacred Heart church in Baghdads central Karrada district, shattering windows in nearby buildings and severely damaging a police pick-up truck at the church gate. The explosion occurred after the church had been cleared of parishioners following services on Easter, which marks the resurrection of Christ after his crucifixion. The injured victims were rushed to a local hospital for medical treatment.Iraqi police and soldiers were out in force on the streets on Sunday, in part because of a recent spate of assassinations of government and security officials. The countrys Christian community has been on high alert since a militant assault on a Syrian Catholic cathedral in