体坛英语资讯：Iraq soccer team returns without captain_娱乐

体坛英语资讯：Iraq soccer team returns without captain

Baghdad erupted in raucous street parties after the victory despite the precarious security situation that still threatens the people here nearly six months after U.S. and Iraqi forces launched a crackdown aimed at ending the violence.

Two car bombings killed 50 revelers after the semifinals. At least five people were killed and scores wounded by celebratory gunfire.

Mohammed Kadhom, a 35-year-old Oil Ministry worker, said he wished the homecoming celebration could have been held at the al-Shaab stadium, a Saddam Hussein-era facility in a predominantly Shiite area in eastern Baghdad.

"It is sad that we can't receive our national team in a public celebration as others do," Kadhom said. "I myself fear for their safety."

The U.S. military announced the combat deaths of four more soldiers in Baghdad, including three killed Thursday in a single roadside bombing on the city's east side. The blast wounded 11 other U.S. troops. A fourth soldier was killed and three wounded in combat the same day in western Baghdad, the military said.

The killing of al-Sistani's aide also raised concern about the security of the spiritual leader.

Fadhil al-Akil, who was in charge of collecting a Shiite religious tax to fund al-Sistani's seminaries and charities, was gunned down Thursday as he was walking home after evening prayers in the holy city of Najaf, 100 miles south of Baghdad.

Al-Akil, 35, was the fourth aide to al-Sistani to be killed. Sheik Abdullah Falak al-Basrawi, who also collected religious taxes for al-Sistani, was stabbed to death inside the cleric's fortified compound on July 27 or 28, police said, and a security guard was arrested afterward. Two other aides died earlier this year.