BAGHDAD , Iraq ( CNN ) -- A female suicide bomber in northern Iraq targeted buoyant soccer fans who had just watched their national team win a big match against China , authorities told CNN . At least 29 people were wounded when the bomber detonated her suicide vest in a marketplace in the Diyala province town of Qara Tappa , a predominantly Shiite Kurdish town with a Shiite Turkmen population . Col. Ragheb al-Omairi , spokesman for Diyala Military operations command , who confirmed the account , said police on foot patrols were also in the area of bombing . Twenty-five civilians and four police were wounded , with at least 12 of the civilians in critical condition . The match , which Iraq won 2-1 , was watched avidly across the country by Iraqis of all stripes -- united by their love of soccer . The game was part of the Asian qualifier for the 2010 South Africa World Cup , and Iraq and China are part of Group 1 , along with Australia and Qatar . The match was played in China . The top two teams in the round advance to another stage of qualifying for the World Cup . Iraq eliminated China from competition and is in the running to advance . Celebratory gunfire also rang out across Baghdad , and the Baghdad Operations Command put an urgent message on state TV asking people to be careful and avoid shooting to celebrate . Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki issued congratulations to the team , which last year won the Asia Cup . The bombing underscored the tensions that persist in a country where violence has dropped . Twenty females have carried out suicide bombings in Iraq this year , many more than in previous years . According to the U.S. military , women carried out eight bombings in all of 2007 . Authorities said that al Qaeda in Iraq is recruiting women and that more women are offering themselves up for missions . The officials said the women are desperate and hopeless , most have pre-existing ties to the insurgency , and their main motive is revenge for a male family member killed by U.S. or Iraqi forces in the war . `` We do see certain members of cells attempting to persuade women , specifically in many cases wives of those who have been killed as terrorists , to conduct suicide operations , '' U.S. Maj. Gen. Mark Hertling said recently . His area of operations includes Diyala province . Hertling 's troops have targeted families of suspected female bombers in a bid to break up the rings that are recruiting the women and girls . Intelligence gathered from detainees indicates that al Qaeda in Iraq is looking for women who are illiterate , who are deeply religious or who have financial struggles , often because they 've lost the male head of the household . Women and girls always have played a role in the insurgency in Iraq , helping feed militants , hiding them in their homes and helping to sneak weapons around the country . They have proved to be highly effective in their operations , because women are not searched by men for cultural and religious reasons . The U.S. military has created a program called the Daughters of Iraq , analogous to the Sons of Iraq , across the Sunni regions of the country . The Daughters of Iraq are being trained to conduct searches of women . CNN 's Jomana Karadsheh and Arwa Damon contributed to this report .
NEW : Attack strikes people celebrating Iraq team 's win in World Cup qualifier . 29 wounded in predominantly Kurdish town in Diyala province . Twenty female suicide bombings in Iraq this year , a sharp uptick . Insurgent recruiters target troubled women , authorities say .