The South African government is following up information that two South African contractors were killed in a suicide bomb blast in Baghdad on Monday.
”We have noted this development with regret. However, as government, we have not yet confirmed the veracity of the report, primarily because we don’t have a diplomatic mission in Baghdad at this stage.
”Nonetheless, we are following up the matter through a South African mission [that is] nearest to Iraq,” Department of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Ronnie Mamoepa said.
The two South African contractors were killed when a suicide bomber blew up a booby-trapped car outside the Green Zone, a high-security area in Baghdad, the AFP news agency reported.
The blast, which sent a plume of black smoke into the sky, occurred near one of the main entrances to the heavily fortified Green Zone, home to the United States and British embassies and to Iraqi government offices.
One witness said the bomber rammed the last of three civilian sports utility vehicles that were travelling in a convoy.
Such vehicles are commonly used by security contractors for transporting high-ranking officials.
The blast killed two South African contractors and injured three others inside the car, US embassy spokesperson Elizabeth Colton said.
Two of those injured, a South African and an Iraqi, were injured seriously, while an American also in the car escaped with lesser injuries, Colton said.
The Iraqi interior ministry earlier reported that three people had been killed in the blast at the entrance, nicknamed ”Assassins’ Gate” by US forces.
US forces immediately cordoned off the area, while Apache attack helicopters circled overhead, AFP reported. — Sapa