Egypt expressed its sincere condolences to the government and the brotherly people of Iraq for the victims of a tank explosion in Baghdad, which resulted in several casualties and injuries. In a statement issued on Sunday by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Egypt extended its sincere condolences to the families of the innocent victims and wished a speedy recovery to the injured. Iraqi security and medical sources announced on Saturday that 10 people were killed and more than 20 injured in an explosion that occurred in the Banks District east of Baghdad. Eyewitnesses said that the sound of the explosion — which occurred in an open garage near a football stadium in a residential neighbourhood — was heard in various areas of eastern Baghdad and that ambulances and police forces rushed to the scene. Official security sources confirmed that most of the victims were football players who were at the stadium, and that investigations into the cause of the explosion are underway. The cause of the explosion remains unclear, but Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shiaa Al-Sudani called on the Ministry of Interior to form an investigative committee to determine the circumstances of the incident, according to a statement issued by Al-Sudani's office. Furthermore, the UN mission in Iraq urged local authorities in a statement to open an investigation into "this horrific incident." "A thorough investigation into the cause and circumstances of this horrific incident must lead to accountability and prevention," it added. The explosion occurred just two days after the Iraqi parliament ratified Al-Sudani's government, ending a year-long political impasse that turned violent over the summer months.
