The death toll from a suicide bombing at an Iraqi soccer stadium has climbed to at least 30, officials said on March 26.
The Associated Press news agency quoted Iraqi security and public health officials as putting the updated death toll at 41, with another 105 people wounded.
The attack – claimed by the Islamic State (IS) extremist group – took place on March 25 in a stadium near the town of Iskanderiyah, some 50 kilometers from the capital, Baghdad.
The bomber detonated his suicide vest as officials were handing trophies to the players after a local tournament.
A video posted on social media shows an official speaking in front of a table covered with trophies and calling out the name of a player before a huge blast.
The U.S. State Department as well as the United Nations special envoy to Iraq condemned the attack.
"Pictures posted on social media of the blast site showed mangled goal posts smeared with blood," UN envoy Jan Kubis said in a statement.
Local officials said 17 of those killed were boys aged between 10 and 16.
The IS extremist group, which has been losing ground in Iraq and Syria in recent months, has ramped up suicide attacks on civilian targets.
