The first blast took place in a garage near a football stadium and a cafe in the city in late Saturday, Reuters reported, citing local security sources that said an explosive device attached to a vehicle in the stadium’s garage was detonated, causing a nearby gas tanker to blow up as well.
However, an AFP report cited Ahmad Salim, commander of security forces in Baghdad, as insisting through a statement that “the explosion is an accident and not an act of terrorism.”
Reports identified most of the victims as amateurs playing football at the stadium.
A military statement, meanwhile, stated that security forces were investigating the cause, without giving further details.
The explosion was heard across much of Iraq’s capital, and shattered the windows in nearby buildings.
No person or group has yet claimed responsibility for the blast.
