[3] The attack occurred at approximately 7:30 am local time when a suicide bomber blew himself up outside the governor's house.
[4] The second attack is believed to have happened a short time later as emergency services arrived at the area.
[6] As a result, the majority of casualties in the blast were that of security personal to the governor.
It is the first major attack in the city, since 2009 when a bomb attached to a bus killed six people and 2007 when a roadside bomb targeted a police patrol, killing seven officers.
[7] The attacks led to further debate, especially among the top political factions in Iraq, as to whether the United States should remain in Iraq for security purposes, as despite the fact many feel that the violence has reduced in recent times, many are worried about the situation once the U.S pulls its final troops out of the country on 31 December 2011.