Iraq

String of blasts strike Baghdad

Article published on the 2009-04-06 Latest update 2009-04-06 11:37 TU

A resident and a fireman try to open the bonnet of a burning vehicle at the site of a bomb attack in Baghdad's Husseiniya district.
(Photo: Reuters)

A series of rush-hour car bombings rocked downtown Baghdad on Monday, killing at least 32 people and wounding more than 125, security officials reported. The strikes came just as British Business Minister Peter Mandelson arrived in Iraq.

The first series of blasts occurred between 7 and 9 am local time, catching rush-hour commuters on the roads. They were joined by two more blasts just after midday near a medical clinic and a crowded marketplace.

The worst single incident came this morning when a booby-trapped car exploded in a market in the Sadr City neighbourhood of northern Baghdad, killing 10 and wounding 28.

In the central Allawi district, four people were killed and 15 were wounded while waiting for jobs when another car exploded.

Another car bomb targeted the convoy of a senior Interior Minister official in the south eastern part of the city. One civilian and one policeman were killed and six other policemen were wounded, though interior ministry officials said the official, whose name was reported to be Sadun, was unhurt.

While security has improved since the American-led troop “surge” was launched in 2007, 252 Iraqis were killed in the month of March alone. This number has stayed stable for several months since the beginning of 2009.

In 2008, 6,772 Iraqis were killed in violence.