A mini bus exploded near an army recruiting center in central Baghdad on Monday, killing at least 14 people, the Defense Ministry said. Maj. Gen. Ibrahim al-Obeidi told the AP a Korean-made Kia mini bus exploded near the northern gate of the al-Muthana recruiting center. The interior ministry originally said 11 had died, but when informed that the nearby Yarmuk hospital reported 14 charred corpses, it acknowledged the wounded must have perished.
Meanwhile, Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Al Maliki will not visit Iran on Monday as planned and has set no new date for his first official visit to Tehran, an aide to the premier said. “The prime minister is still in Iraq and will not leave today. The trip to Iran has been delayed until further notice,” he told Reuters.
