BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- A combination of rocket and bomb attacks -- the worst taking place at the entrance to a university -- killed more than 50 people and wounded dozens of others Sunday in Iraq.
A suicide bomber killed at least 40 people and wounded 55 others when he detonated his explosive vest outside the economic and management college of Mustansriya near Baghdad's Sadr city, an Iraqi Interior Ministry official said. Most of the dead were students, the official said.
A 22-year-old student, Muhanad Nasir, told The Associated Press he saw a commotion at the gate. "Then there was an explosion. I did not feel anything for 15 minutes, and when I returned to consciousness, I found myself in the hospital," said Nasir, who had injuries to his head and chest
The metal gate to the college was twisted by the force of the blast and shrapnel tore chunks out of the cement walls, AP reported.
Video from the scene showed people using rags and clothes to mop up puddles of blood.
Mustansiriya University was struck by twin bombings last month that killed 70 people, also mainly students.
Elsewhere in Baghdad, two rockets landed in an outdoor market in the Abu Dishir Shiite neighborhood, killing at least 10 people and wounding another eight on Sunday morning, the official said.
A car bomb exploded in central Baghdad just 100 yards from the Iranian embassy, killing at least one person and wounding four others, according to a Baghdad police official.
An Iranian embassy employee said no one inside the compound was hurt.
Meanwhile, the death toll from Saturday's suicide car bombing near a mosque in Anbar province was raised to 40, with 65 people wounded, according to an Interior Ministry official.
Local residents told AP that the imam of the Sunni mosque in Habbaniya had spoken out against extremists. Also, according to AP, many who live in the neighborhood are employed by Iraqi military and police forces, who are frequently the targets of militant strikes.
The vehicle exploded as worshippers left the mosque's afternoon prayers, AP reported.
Habbaniya, 40 miles west of Baghdad, is between Falluja and Ramadi.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/02/25/iraq.main/index.html
