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| Iraq bombs kill at least 40 in Baghdad | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Co-ordinated bomb attacks in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, have killed at least 40 people and injured more than 130, say officials. | |
| The interior ministry said 13 locations had been attacked, including al-Amil in the south of the city and Halawi and Karrada closer to the centre. | |
| Attacks remain common in Iraq despite an overall fall in violence. | |
| The blasts come amid fears of rising sectarian tensions as the unity government faces internal divisions. | The blasts come amid fears of rising sectarian tensions as the unity government faces internal divisions. |
| It was not immediately clear who was behind the bombings. | |
| However, analysts say the level of co-ordination suggests a planning capability only available to al-Qaeda in Iraq. | |
| In al-Amil there were two blasts, the second of which appeared to target rescuers who had come to the scene of the first explosion. | |
| Raghad Khalid, a teacher at a kindergarten in Karrada, said all their windows had been blown out. | Raghad Khalid, a teacher at a kindergarten in Karrada, said all their windows had been blown out. |
| "The children were scared and crying. Some parts of the car bomb are inside our building." | "The children were scared and crying. Some parts of the car bomb are inside our building." |
| Smoke was seen rising over Karrada district, with ambulances rushing to the scene. | Smoke was seen rising over Karrada district, with ambulances rushing to the scene. |
| Another woman said her baby had been covered in glass. | Another woman said her baby had been covered in glass. |
| "She is now scared in the next room. All countries are stable. Why don't we have security and stability?" said Um Hanin. | "She is now scared in the next room. All countries are stable. Why don't we have security and stability?" said Um Hanin. |
| Political turmoil | |
| Iraq's year-old power-sharing government is in turmoil after an arrest warrant was issued for Sunni Vice-President Tariq al-Hashemi on terror charges. | Iraq's year-old power-sharing government is in turmoil after an arrest warrant was issued for Sunni Vice-President Tariq al-Hashemi on terror charges. |
| The entire al-Iraqiyya group, the main Sunni bloc in parliament, is boycotting the assembly in protest. It accuses Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki, a Shia, of monopolising power. | The entire al-Iraqiyya group, the main Sunni bloc in parliament, is boycotting the assembly in protest. It accuses Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki, a Shia, of monopolising power. |
| Mr Hashemi denies the charges. He is currently in Irbil in Iraqi Kurdistan, under the protection of the regional government, but Mr Maliki has demanded that they give him up. | Mr Hashemi denies the charges. He is currently in Irbil in Iraqi Kurdistan, under the protection of the regional government, but Mr Maliki has demanded that they give him up. |
| The last American troops departed from Iraq on Sunday, nearly nine years after the war that toppled Saddam Hussein in 2003. | |
| President Obama acknowledged that the situation was not perfect, but said the US forces were leaving behind "a sovereign, stable and self-reliant Iraq, with a representative government elected by its people". | |
| Are you in Baghdad? Did you witness the bomb attacks? Send us your account of what happened using the form below. | |
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