At least five people have been killed after a suicide bomber detonated a car packed with explosives in Erbil, the capital of Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region, on Wednesday.
A spokesperson for the Erbil governor, Hamza Hamid, said the attack happened "right in front of the main entrance of the building of Erbil governorate”. The bomber had reportedly attempted to enter the citadel grounds.
The Iraqi Kurdish Health Ministry stated that at least 22 people were injured in the blast.
See footage of the aftermath of the attack from Kurdistan TV below.
In a statement on Wednesday Kurdistan's Security Council said that the acceptance of more than a million refugees, who have fled following the capture of several regions by the militant group Islamic State, posed a threat to the Kurdish regions security, stating that “terrorists” may have also crossed through with them.
The incident is the first major attack to take place in the Kurdish capital since September 2013, when co-ordinated car bombs were detonated, killing seven members of the security forces and injuring dozens more.
A spokesperson for the Erbil governor, Hamza Hamid, said the attack happened "right in front of the main entrance of the building of Erbil governorate”. The bomber had reportedly attempted to enter the citadel grounds.
The Iraqi Kurdish Health Ministry stated that at least 22 people were injured in the blast.
See footage of the aftermath of the attack from Kurdistan TV below.
In a statement on Wednesday Kurdistan's Security Council said that the acceptance of more than a million refugees, who have fled following the capture of several regions by the militant group Islamic State, posed a threat to the Kurdish regions security, stating that “terrorists” may have also crossed through with them.
The incident is the first major attack to take place in the Kurdish capital since September 2013, when co-ordinated car bombs were detonated, killing seven members of the security forces and injuring dozens more.