Car bomb attacks kill dozens in Baghdad
A wave of car bomb attacks kill dozens in Baghdad on Monday morning, the latest violence in a campaign against Iraq’s Shi’ite minority.
Five car bombs exploded across the capital, killing at least 51 people and wounding dozens more.
The first, and deadliest, bomb exploded in the eastern Sadr City district, and detonated in a small vegetable market and parking area. Seven people died and 16 were wounded, a police officer said.
Four other bombs then went of in quick succession in the neighbourhoods of New Baghdad, Habibiva, Sabaa al-Bour and Kazimivah – all in outdoor markets and parking areas. Police said 17 people died in these attacks, and 59 were wounded.
Responsibility
No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack, though suspicion is likely to fall on al-Qaeda’s local branch, the Islamic State of Iraq.
Egypt is a Sunni Muslim majority country, but ruled by a Shia-led government, and it is believed al-Qaeda is trying to stir discontent amongst the Sunni community against the minority Shiites.
On Sunday, 46 people were killed in attacks across Iraq. The most deadly was in Mussayab, 40 miles south of Baghdad, where at least 40 people were killed, when a suicide bomber targeted a Shiite Muslim funeral.
Around 50 people were also injured in the attack, which was reported to have brought own the roof of the mosque where the funeral was being held.
The funeral was for a man who had been killed on Saturday by militants. It is estimated that more than 4,500 have been killed in Iraq since April.