Insurgents unleashed deadly attacks on Tuesday against Shiite areas in Baghdad, killing at least 50 people and wounding dozens, highlighting increasing sectarian tensions in Iraq a decade after the war began. The morning attacks, mostly by car bombs, targeted mainly small restaurants, daily laborers and bus stops in the Iraqi capital within a one-hour period. There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but the attacks bore hallmarks of al-Qaeda in Iraq.
The deadly wave came as the country marks a decade since the US-led invasion, which began on March 20, 2003. Violence has ebbed but insurgent attacks are still frequent across Iraq. Police officials said the first attack took place near a small restaurant in Baghdad’s Mashtal neighbourhood, killing four people and wounding 15.
Minutes later, 2 daily labourers were killed and 8 were wounded when a roadside bomb hit the place where they gather every day in an area of New Baghdad. In the neighbourhood of Sadr City, a sticky bomb attached to the underside of a minibus killed three commuters and wounded seven people. Another car bomb exploded in a commercial street in the same Shiite area, killing two people and wounding 11. In the northeastern suburbs of Baghdad, four people were killed and eleven others wounded after a car bomb went off near a small restaurant in Hussainiyah neighbourhood.
In Zafarniyah, two car bombs exploded near a police station, killing five people, including a policeman and wounding 27, said police. In northern Baghdad, a car bomb went off near a bus stop, killing three people and wounding 13. In downtown Baghdad, a car bomb exploded near a restaurant not far away from the well-protected green zone, killing six people, including two soldiers and wounding more than 15.
The deadly wave came as the country marks a decade since the US-led invasion, which began on March 20, 2003. Violence has ebbed but insurgent attacks are still frequent across Iraq. Police officials said the first attack took place near a small restaurant in Baghdad’s Mashtal neighbourhood, killing four people and wounding 15.
Minutes later, 2 daily labourers were killed and 8 were wounded when a roadside bomb hit the place where they gather every day in an area of New Baghdad. In the neighbourhood of Sadr City, a sticky bomb attached to the underside of a minibus killed three commuters and wounded seven people. Another car bomb exploded in a commercial street in the same Shiite area, killing two people and wounding 11. In the northeastern suburbs of Baghdad, four people were killed and eleven others wounded after a car bomb went off near a small restaurant in Hussainiyah neighbourhood.
In Zafarniyah, two car bombs exploded near a police station, killing five people, including a policeman and wounding 27, said police. In northern Baghdad, a car bomb went off near a bus stop, killing three people and wounding 13. In downtown Baghdad, a car bomb exploded near a restaurant not far away from the well-protected green zone, killing six people, including two soldiers and wounding more than 15.