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-22925436
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Iraq car bombings: Attacks hit mainly Shia cities | Iraq car bombings: Attacks hit mainly Shia cities |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| A wave of car bombings across central and southern Iraq has killed at least 30 people, police and medics say. | |
| Most of the attacks took place in cities with a high concentration of Shia Muslims - including Kut, Najaf, Mahmoudiya, Nasiriya and Basra. | Most of the attacks took place in cities with a high concentration of Shia Muslims - including Kut, Najaf, Mahmoudiya, Nasiriya and Basra. |
| Iraq has been hit by almost daily attacks, raising fears of a return to the worst levels of sectarian violence. | Iraq has been hit by almost daily attacks, raising fears of a return to the worst levels of sectarian violence. |
| Last month was the bloodiest in Iraq since June 2008, with 1,045 civilians and security officials killed. | Last month was the bloodiest in Iraq since June 2008, with 1,045 civilians and security officials killed. |
| In the mainly Shia city of Basra in the south, two car bombs went off almost at the same time in a market in the city centre, killing five people. | In the mainly Shia city of Basra in the south, two car bombs went off almost at the same time in a market in the city centre, killing five people. |
| Another car bomb killed at least seven people in the holy city of Najaf. In Kut, two car bombs targeted an industrial area and a gathering of construction workers. | Another car bomb killed at least seven people in the holy city of Najaf. In Kut, two car bombs targeted an industrial area and a gathering of construction workers. |
| No group has admitted carrying out the bombings, but tensions between the Shia Muslim majority, which leads the government, and minority Sunnis has been growing since last year. | No group has admitted carrying out the bombings, but tensions between the Shia Muslim majority, which leads the government, and minority Sunnis has been growing since last year. |
| Sunnis have accused the government of Prime Minister Nouri Maliki of discriminating against them - a claim the government denies. | Sunnis have accused the government of Prime Minister Nouri Maliki of discriminating against them - a claim the government denies. |