Baghdad: A wave of car bombs across Baghdad, mostly targeting Shiite areas, killed 23 people on Monday in the latest surge of violence as Shiite Muslims in Iraq marked the birth of a revered figure.
At least 10 vehicles rigged with explosives went off in eight neighbourhoods in the capital, despite tight restrictions on the movement of cars following a spate of similar bombings last month.
The violence comes as the country grapples with a prolonged political deadlock which, combined with unrest at its worst since 2008, has sparked fears of a revival of the all-out sectarian war that blighted Iraq in 2006 and 2007.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the violence, but Sunni militants linked to Al-Qaeda often target Shiites, whom they regard as apostates, particularly during Shiite commemoration rituals.
Most of the neighbourhoods hit on Monday were majority-Shiite areas, with the violence coming as Shiites marked Shabaniyah, the anniversary of the birth of Imam Mehdi, the so-called 12th imam, a key figure in their faith.
In all, at least 23 people were killed and 81 people were wounded, a security official and medical sources said.
In one attack, outside a popular up-scale supermarket in central Baghdad's commercial Karrada neighbourhood, a car bomb exploded in the parking area immediately in front of the building.
At least four people were killed, including a young girl and a woman, a soldier at the scene told AFP.
The facade of the supermarket was destroyed, and its glass doors were completely shattered, an AFP journalist said. Adjacent cars were badly damaged and broken glass and blood could be seen from dozens of metres (yards) away.
Several of the other attacks appeared to target restaurants and markets -- two car bombs in the Jihad neighbourhood went off near a restaurant and a marketplace, while another vehicle rigged with explosives was detonated near a Karrada market.
While restaurants and markets were largely hit, car bombs also blew up in front of a mosque and a minibus station.
Monday's unrest is the latest in a surge in nationwide violence which comes as the country grapples with months of protests by its Sunni Arab minority, tensions in a swathe of territory that Kurdish leaders want to incorporate into their autonomous region in the north and protracted political deadlock in Baghdad.
Violence has increased markedly since the beginning of the year, with the death toll in May the highest since 2008. The surge has coincided with rising discontent among the Sunni Arab minority that erupted into protests in late December.
Analysts say a failure by the Shiite-led authorities to address the underlying causes of the demonstrations has given militant groups both a recruitment platform and room to manoeuvre.
At least 10 vehicles rigged with explosives went off in eight neighbourhoods in the capital, despite tight restrictions on the movement of cars following a spate of similar bombings last month.
The violence comes as the country grapples with a prolonged political deadlock which, combined with unrest at its worst since 2008, has sparked fears of a revival of the all-out sectarian war that blighted Iraq in 2006 and 2007.
Most of the neighbourhoods hit on Monday were majority-Shiite areas, with the violence coming as Shiites marked Shabaniyah, the anniversary of the birth of Imam Mehdi, the so-called 12th imam, a key figure in their faith.
Advertisement
In one attack, outside a popular up-scale supermarket in central Baghdad's commercial Karrada neighbourhood, a car bomb exploded in the parking area immediately in front of the building.
Advertisement
The facade of the supermarket was destroyed, and its glass doors were completely shattered, an AFP journalist said. Adjacent cars were badly damaged and broken glass and blood could be seen from dozens of metres (yards) away.
Advertisement
While restaurants and markets were largely hit, car bombs also blew up in front of a mosque and a minibus station.
Advertisement
Violence has increased markedly since the beginning of the year, with the death toll in May the highest since 2008. The surge has coincided with rising discontent among the Sunni Arab minority that erupted into protests in late December.
Advertisement
COMMENTS
Advertisement
Iran President Visits Iraq On First Foreign Trip Amid Political Turmoil Explosion At US-Led Coalition Base In Iraq Ahead Of Iran President's Visit US-Iraq Deal Would See Hundreds Of Troops Withdraw In 1st Year: Report 8 Dead, 2,750 Hurt As Pagers Explode Across Lebanon, Hezbollah Blames Israel Video: Leopard Spotted Crossing Road In Bengaluru's Electronic City IndiGo Flight Tailstrike Leaves Huge Dent During Take-Off From Delhi Airport True Secular, Liberal And Feminist: Kangana Ranaut Praises PM Modi Norway Now Has More Electric Cars Than Petrol Models, 1st In The World "Mother Used To Feed Me Jaggery": PM Modi Gets Emotional On 74th Birthday Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.