Two Turkish citizens were killed in a suicide bomb attack near the U.S. consulate in Erbil in the northern Iraqi Kurdish region Friday, Turkey's Foreign Ministry said in a statement early Saturday.
"Five people among the 10 injured are Turkish citizens and receiving treatment at a hospital," the statement said, adding that DNA tests were being carried out to provide positive identification.
“Turkish citizens are receiving treatment at a hospital and they were visited by our Erbil head consulate staff," the statement added.
Friday's attack took place in front of a cafeteria frequently mainly visited by foreigners, said Ankawa Police Chief Jalal Habib.
U.S. officials refused to confirm who might have carried out the bombing, but State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said the attack was caused by a "vehicle-borne improvised explosive device," and that no American embassy diplomats or personnel were injured.
"We appreciate the rapid response of the Kurdistan Regional Government authorities to this matter and we will work with them to investigate the incident to determine the facts behind the explosion," the State Department said in statement.
The Nili cafeteria, operated by Turkish citizens, was severely damaged. Twelve automobiles and 30 shops were also damaged in the attack.
Ahmet Husra, one of the cafe's workers, said one of the victims was Turkish. One U.S. citizen was also wounded in the blast, Erbil hospital officials confirmed.
The victims could not be identified because of severe burns, officials said.
According to the reports, Daesh claimed responsibility for the car bomb.
Iraq’s Kurdistan Regional Government strongly condemned the terrorist attack in a statement Friday on its official website.
The statement expressed sympathy and solidarity with the victims’ relatives and wished quick recovery to the injured. It added that the government would continue combating terrorism.
