Posted: 9:24 am PDT
Updated: 10:41 am PDT
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Media reports say that a car bomb went off at 5:40 pm local time in front of the U.S. Consulate General in Irbil, in northern Iraq today. An unnamed senior State Department official told ABC News it was a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED). Other reports say the target was the local cafe near the consulate. The AP reports that no consulate personnel or local guards were wounded. There are local casualties but the number has not been officially released. McClatchy’s Mitchell Prothero in Iraq reports that “the entrance to the consulate appeared to have been struck by a bomber on foot.”
U.S. Consulate Erbil (Irbil) is headed by FSO Joseph Pennington who assumed his duties as Consul General in northern Iraq in July 2013.
IRBIL, Iraq (AP) — Car bomb explodes outside US Consulate in northern #Iraq city of Irbil
— Matt Lee (@APDiploWriter) April 17, 2015
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#US official in DC says NO consulate personnel or local guards killed or wounded in #Irbil car bombing. “Everyone is accounted for.” #Iraq
— Matt Lee (@APDiploWriter) April 17, 2015
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@amberinzaman no was targeting the consulate the cafe just happened to be opposite to the consulate building.
— Abdulla Hawez (@abdullahawez) April 17, 2015
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Breaking- Rudaw reporter: The blast was a suicide bomber not a car bomb. He blew himself up in front of the cafe. Three civilians killed.
— Rudaw English (@RudawEnglish) April 17, 2015
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Suicide bomb hits U.S. consulate in Irbil, wounded reported. #Iraq #ISIS http://t.co/fC6izi5PsM
— mark seibel (@markseibel) April 17, 2015
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Sr State Official: VBIED detonated directly outside an entry point on the perimeter of the US Consulate in #Erbil. (h/t @JustinFishelABC)
— Molly Hunter (@mollymhunter) April 17, 2015
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Thoughts and prayers are with my Consulate colleagues and our Ankawa neighbors following bomb blast in Erbil. #Erbil #USConsulate
— Joseph Pennington (@JPennington_) April 17, 2015
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Updated:
Re: VBIED in #Erbil near US consulate, we appreciate rapid response of KRG authorities and now working w/them to investigate the attack. 1/2
— Brett McGurk (@brett_mcgurk) April 17, 2015
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ISIS claims responsibility for bombing near U.S. Consulate in Irbil, Iraq; officials say at least 2 people killed. http://t.co/8kYaSricCP
— CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) April 17, 2015