28 killed in series of Iraq car bomb explosions
18 Feb 2013 7:02 AM IST
A series of car bombs exploded within minutes of each other in and around Baghdad on Sunday, killing at least 28 people and wounding dozens in overwhelmingly Shiite areas.
The attacks come amid rising sectarian discord in Iraq. The explosions, mostly in outdoor markets, struck at the start of the local work week and appeared aimed at causing mass casualties among residents going about their morning shopping.
Violence in Iraq has fallen since the height of sectarian fighting in 2006 and 2007, but insurgents still launch lethal attacks frequently against security forces and civilians in an attempt to undermine the Shiite-led government.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attacks, but similar ones have been orchestrated by Sunni extremists, such as al-Qaida's local arm. The group, known as the Islamic State of Iraq, favors large-scale, coordinated attacks. It frequently targets Shiite Muslims.
Police and hospital officials provided the death toll, and said more than 80 people were wounded. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorised to brief reporters.
The detonation of a parked car loaded with explosives in the sprawling Shiite district of Sadr City heralded the start of the attacks on Sunday morning. Two more parked cars later exploded elsewhere in the poor neighborhood.
The attacks come amid rising sectarian discord in Iraq. The explosions, mostly in outdoor markets, struck at the start of the local work week and appeared aimed at causing mass casualties among residents going about their morning shopping.
Violence in Iraq has fallen since the height of sectarian fighting in 2006 and 2007, but insurgents still launch lethal attacks frequently against security forces and civilians in an attempt to undermine the Shiite-led government.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attacks, but similar ones have been orchestrated by Sunni extremists, such as al-Qaida's local arm. The group, known as the Islamic State of Iraq, favors large-scale, coordinated attacks. It frequently targets Shiite Muslims.
Police and hospital officials provided the death toll, and said more than 80 people were wounded. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorised to brief reporters.
The detonation of a parked car loaded with explosives in the sprawling Shiite district of Sadr City heralded the start of the attacks on Sunday morning. Two more parked cars later exploded elsewhere in the poor neighborhood.
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