A triple bombing hit the police headquarters for the northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk today, killing at least 30 people and wounding 90 others, according to local health officials. The officials added that many of the wounded are in dire condition, so the toll will likely rise.
The first bombing hit at around 9 am, a small explosion designed to lure the police out of their headquarters. Just minutes later, a much larger car bombing tore through the lot, killing large numbers of police and some bystanders.
The third bombing came less than an hour later, and hit a police patrol on the road between the police headquarters and the nearest hospital. Officials said a local anti-terror director was the likely target.
As with the nearby city of Mosul, Kirkuk has seen considerable ethnic tension between its Kurdish population and its Arab and Turkmen population. The mistrust has led to the cities having major death tolls long after sectarian violence has quieted down elsewhere.