U.S. condemns deadly attack near American consulate in Iraq's Arbil
Xinhua, April 18, 2015 Adjust font size:
The United States on Friday slammed a car-bombing attack near the U.S. consulate in the Iraqi city of Arbil, in which three civilians were killed.
"The United States condemns the attack in Arbil today in which a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device detonated outside the U.S. consulate and took a number of innocent lives," State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said in a written statement.
Four others were injured in the attack, in which a suicide bomber tried to approach the U.S. mission in the capital city of the semi-autonomous region of Kurdistan, but the guards opened fire and forced the attacker to detonate the device before reaching the entrance of the consulate.
"We extend our deepest condolences to the families of those who were injured and killed," Harf said, noting all American personnel "have been accounted for" with no injuries reported.
She said Washington appreciated the "rapid response" by the Kurdistan regional government authorities, pledging cooperation in the investigation into the incident. Endite