Bombs targeting Shi’ite pilgrims in Baghdad and police in southern Iraq kill at least 44 people in a wave of attacks during a major religious festival, police and hospital sources say.
At least 18 people were killed when four bombs hit Shi’ite pilgrims across Baghdad as they gathered to mark the anniversary of the death of Shi’ite imam Moussa al-Kadhim, a great-grandson of Prophet Mohammad.
In the southern city of Hilla, two bombs, including one detonated by a suicide car bomber, exploded outside restaurants frequented by police, killing 22 people and wounding 38. Two more car bombs killed four people in the mainly Shi’ite city of Balad.
Violence during the pilgrimage, which climaxes Saturday, has raised fears of further heightening tensions between Shiite and Sunni Muslims during a sectarian-fueled deadlock in Iraq’s coalition government.
Violence in Iraq has declined since its peak in 2006-2007, but attacks remain common, especially in Baghdad.
A total of 132 Iraqis were killed in violence in May, official figures show.
Since last autumn, there has been a resurgence in militant attacks, but these have reduced in number since 2007.
US troops left the country at the end of 2011, although analysts believe Iraq’s security situation can be controlled by its own police and armed forces.