Officials: 26 killed in Iraq suicide bombing

A man inspects the damage at a cafe following a suicide bombing in Balad, 60 miles (80 kilometers) north of Baghdad, Iraq, Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2013. AP

BAGHDAD — Officials in Iraq say at least 26 people have been killed by a suicide bomber who attacked a park in northern Baghdad.

Police say the attack happened at a park that has several cafes and restaurants. They say the bomber detonated his explosives in a crowd of people, killing 26 and wounding 55 people.

Two police officers and three medical officials confirm the casualty figures. They all spoke on condition of anonymity as they weren’t authorized to release the information to journalists.

Attacks have been on the rise in Iraq since a deadly security crackdown in April on a Sunni protest camp. More than 3,000 people have been killed in violence during the past few months, raising fears Iraq could see a new round of widespread sectarian bloodshed.