Gunshots ring through the Baghdad sky
AFP, Baghdad
Iraq's dramatic penalty shoot-out victory in the semifinal of football's Asian Cup sparked a barrage of gunfire on Wednesday as Baghdadis celebrated with volley after volley of shots in the air. The beleaguered Iraqi capital was rocked by the sound of assault rifle and machine-gun fire as security forces, militant groups, insurgents and residents put aside their differences and fired skywards. Authorities had warned of falling bullets -- last week's quarter-final victory saw at least three people killed by stray rounds -- but the joy of the extra-time win overcame caution as gunmen poured onto the streets. Iraq will now meet either Saudi Arabia or Japan in Sunday's final, after beating South Korea 4-3 in a penalty shootout in Kuala Lumpur.
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