This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-22593345
The article has changed 11 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 5 | Version 6 |
|---|---|
| Multiple car bomb attacks hit Iraqi cities | Multiple car bomb attacks hit Iraqi cities |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| At least 42 people have been killed and many others injured in a series of car bomb attacks in central and southern Iraq, officials say. | At least 42 people have been killed and many others injured in a series of car bomb attacks in central and southern Iraq, officials say. |
| Baghdad was worst hit, with eight explosions at bus stations and markets in the mainly Shia Muslim districts. | |
| Two bombs went off earlier in the day in the southern city of Basra, and a blast in Samarra killed three people. | |
| The attacks come amid a recent rise in violence in Iraq linked to growing political and sectarian tension. | The attacks come amid a recent rise in violence in Iraq linked to growing political and sectarian tension. |
| Police said 175 people were injured in Monday's violence in Iraq, and more than half the dead - at least 25 - in Baghdad. | |
| The bombs in Basra, a mainly Shia Muslim city, killed at least 14 outside a restaurant and the main bus station. | The bombs in Basra, a mainly Shia Muslim city, killed at least 14 outside a restaurant and the main bus station. |
| "We were sitting here waiting for work and as usual we gathered near a street food cart and the place was very crowded," Basra resident Mohammed Ali, who was near one of the blasts, told Reuters news agency. | "We were sitting here waiting for work and as usual we gathered near a street food cart and the place was very crowded," Basra resident Mohammed Ali, who was near one of the blasts, told Reuters news agency. |
| "I crossed the street to the other side when all of a sudden it turned dark, dust filled the area. I was showered with metal wreckage and wounded in my legs." | "I crossed the street to the other side when all of a sudden it turned dark, dust filled the area. I was showered with metal wreckage and wounded in my legs." |
| A further three people were killed and 15 wounded in a car bomb attack in Samarra, a city some 113km (70 miles) north of Baghdad. | |
| In a separate incident, 10 policemen kidnapped on Saturday in western Anbar province have been found dead. | In a separate incident, 10 policemen kidnapped on Saturday in western Anbar province have been found dead. |
| No group has said it carried out Monday's bomb attacks, but tension between the Shia Muslim majority, which leads the government, and minority Sunnis has been growing since last year. | No group has said it carried out Monday's bomb attacks, but tension between the Shia Muslim majority, which leads the government, and minority Sunnis has been growing since last year. |
| Sunni demonstrators have accused the government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki of discriminating against them - something the government denies. | Sunni demonstrators have accused the government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki of discriminating against them - something the government denies. |
| Syrian impact | Syrian impact |
| The increasingly sectarian nature of the conflict in neighbouring Syria is having an impact, says the BBC's Aleem Maqbool in Baghdad. | |
| But Iraqis will say their Shia and Sunni politicians are not serious about unity and have no honest mediator to bring them together, he adds. | |
| Violence has increased since more than 50 people died in clashes between security forces and Sunni Arabs in April, when an anti-government protest camp was raided in Nawija near Kirkuk. | Violence has increased since more than 50 people died in clashes between security forces and Sunni Arabs in April, when an anti-government protest camp was raided in Nawija near Kirkuk. |
| At least 60 people died in three bombings in Sunni Muslim areas in and around Baghdad on Friday. Those bombings followed deadly attacks on Shia targets across Iraq. | At least 60 people died in three bombings in Sunni Muslim areas in and around Baghdad on Friday. Those bombings followed deadly attacks on Shia targets across Iraq. |
| On Sunday, at least 10 policemen were reported killed in north-western Iraq in attacks blamed by the authorities on Sunni militants. | On Sunday, at least 10 policemen were reported killed in north-western Iraq in attacks blamed by the authorities on Sunni militants. |
| Basra had been seen as relatively peaceful, but there too, violence has risen in recent months. | Basra had been seen as relatively peaceful, but there too, violence has risen in recent months. |
| In March, a car bomb in the city killed 10 and wounded many others. On Saturday gunmen there shot and killed a Sunni Muslim cleric. | In March, a car bomb in the city killed 10 and wounded many others. On Saturday gunmen there shot and killed a Sunni Muslim cleric. |
| The increasing number of incidents has raised fears that Iraq could return to the worst of the sectarian conflict seen in 2006 and 2007. | The increasing number of incidents has raised fears that Iraq could return to the worst of the sectarian conflict seen in 2006 and 2007. |