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| Dozens die in Iraq suicide blasts | |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| At least 45 people are reported to have been killed and 150 hurt in a double suicide bombing near a market in the Iraqi town of Hilla. | |
| A police source told the BBC an officer tried to stop the first attacker detonating himself, but as he did so the other bomber exploded his device. | |
| It came as at least 10 other people were killed on another day of violence across the country. | |
| Six people died when a bomb hit a minibus in Baghdad. | |
| Three more people died in a car bomb in the Rusfasi district of the capital. | |
| The blasts followed mortar attacks in the mainly Sunni area of Adhamiya. | The blasts followed mortar attacks in the mainly Sunni area of Adhamiya. |
| Meanwhile, the Iraqi government denied using excessive force in a battle last weekend in which more than 260 people died near the Shia holy city of Najaf. | Meanwhile, the Iraqi government denied using excessive force in a battle last weekend in which more than 260 people died near the Shia holy city of Najaf. |
| 'Big explosion' | |
| The town of Hilla is about 120km (75 miles) south of Baghdad. In Feb 2005 more than 120 people were killed in a bombing there. | |
| The three attacks in Baghdad also left dozens injured. | |
| In the Karrada district of the Iraqi capital, at least eight people were hurt in the minibus blast, police said. | |
| "We heard a big explosion and we rushed to the street to see the bus on fire and some wounded people jumping from the bus and falling on the ground," witness Jamal Ali told the Associated Press news agency. | |
| There have been a number of attacks in the busy commercial district in recent weeks. | |
| Last week, 40 people died and 80 more were injured by a car bombing there. | |
| Growing controversy | Growing controversy |
| Speaking about the weekend's fighting in Najaf, a government spokesman said Iraqi and US forces fought members of a religious cult, calling themselves the Soldiers of Heaven, who had threatened to carry out acts of terrorism. | |
| The group had resisted repeated calls to surrender, and as for the level of force used, Ali Dabbagh said the government was entitled to protect Iraqi citizens. | The group had resisted repeated calls to surrender, and as for the level of force used, Ali Dabbagh said the government was entitled to protect Iraqi citizens. |
| However, the official version of events has not gone unchallenged and controversy is growing. | However, the official version of events has not gone unchallenged and controversy is growing. |
| According to accounts on an Iraqi website and in the British media, the drama began with a clash between an Iraqi tribe on a pilgrimage to Najaf and an Iraqi army checkpoint. | According to accounts on an Iraqi website and in the British media, the drama began with a clash between an Iraqi tribe on a pilgrimage to Najaf and an Iraqi army checkpoint. |
| The fighting escalated, army commanders called for reinforcements and US aircraft launched an aerial bombardment - with significant loss of life. | The fighting escalated, army commanders called for reinforcements and US aircraft launched an aerial bombardment - with significant loss of life. |
| According to this account, the involvement of the Soldiers of Heaven appears to have been accidental. | According to this account, the involvement of the Soldiers of Heaven appears to have been accidental. |