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| Dozens killed in Iraq bomb attacks | Dozens killed in Iraq bomb attacks |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| At least 41 people have been killed in a series of bombings in central Iraq, police and medical officials say. | At least 41 people have been killed in a series of bombings in central Iraq, police and medical officials say. |
| Sixteen died in an attack on a funeral for a pro-government Sunni militiaman in a village south of Baquba, the capital of Diyala province. | Sixteen died in an attack on a funeral for a pro-government Sunni militiaman in a village south of Baquba, the capital of Diyala province. |
| Seven car bombs meanwhile exploded across Baghdad, killing at least 25 people and wounding dozens more. | Seven car bombs meanwhile exploded across Baghdad, killing at least 25 people and wounding dozens more. |
| There has been a surge in sectarian violence across Iraq in the past year, reaching levels not seen since 2007. | There has been a surge in sectarian violence across Iraq in the past year, reaching levels not seen since 2007. |
| The United Nations says 7,818 civilians and 1,050 members of the security forces died in 2013. December alone saw at least 759 killed. | The United Nations says 7,818 civilians and 1,050 members of the security forces died in 2013. December alone saw at least 759 killed. |
| Falluja stand-off | Falluja stand-off |
| In Wednesday's deadliest incident, a suicide bomber blew himself up inside a funeral tent in the village of Buhriz where mourners were marking the death two days ago of a member of a local Sahwa, or Awakening Council, set up Sunni Arab tribesmen to fight al-Qaeda. | In Wednesday's deadliest incident, a suicide bomber blew himself up inside a funeral tent in the village of Buhriz where mourners were marking the death two days ago of a member of a local Sahwa, or Awakening Council, set up Sunni Arab tribesmen to fight al-Qaeda. |
| The car bomb attacks that shook Baghdad at around the same time occurred within minutes of each other, mostly in predominantly Shia districts of the capital. | The car bomb attacks that shook Baghdad at around the same time occurred within minutes of each other, mostly in predominantly Shia districts of the capital. |
| Five shoppers were killed when a car blew up at an outdoor market in the northern Shula district, police told the Reuters news agency. Another car bomb exploded in the central commercial area of Karrada, killing four civilians, they said. | |
| Wednesday's violence comes amid a continuing stand-off between security forces and Sunni militants aligned to al-Qaeda who seized control of the city of Falluja, west of Baghdad, more than two weeks ago. | Wednesday's violence comes amid a continuing stand-off between security forces and Sunni militants aligned to al-Qaeda who seized control of the city of Falluja, west of Baghdad, more than two weeks ago. |
| The militants launched co-ordinated attacks to the north of the city on Tuesday, destroying two army tanks and capturing a police station. | The militants launched co-ordinated attacks to the north of the city on Tuesday, destroying two army tanks and capturing a police station. |
| Prime Minister Nouri Maliki, a Shia, has vowed to eradicate the al-Qaeda affiliated Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIS), but has ruled out an assault on Falluja, saying residents must force the group to leave. | Prime Minister Nouri Maliki, a Shia, has vowed to eradicate the al-Qaeda affiliated Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIS), but has ruled out an assault on Falluja, saying residents must force the group to leave. |
| The militants were also reported to have made gains on Tuesday in Ramadi, the nearby capital of Anbar province, which they briefly controlled at the start of the month before being ousted by security forces and pro-government Sahwa militiamen. | The militants were also reported to have made gains on Tuesday in Ramadi, the nearby capital of Anbar province, which they briefly controlled at the start of the month before being ousted by security forces and pro-government Sahwa militiamen. |
| After meeting Mr Maliki in Baghdad on Monday, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon urged Iraq's leaders to address the "root causes" of the unrest and "ensure that there is nobody left behind". | After meeting Mr Maliki in Baghdad on Monday, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon urged Iraq's leaders to address the "root causes" of the unrest and "ensure that there is nobody left behind". |
| Mr Ban called for political and social cohesion, and "inclusive dialogue". | Mr Ban called for political and social cohesion, and "inclusive dialogue". |
| But the prime minister insisted that what was happening in Anbar had "no relation to Iraqi problems" and rejected the UN appeal for dialogue. | But the prime minister insisted that what was happening in Anbar had "no relation to Iraqi problems" and rejected the UN appeal for dialogue. |
| "Dialogue with whom? With al-Qaeda?" he asked. "There is no dialogue with al-Qaeda, and the Iraqi national decision is to end al-Qaeda." | "Dialogue with whom? With al-Qaeda?" he asked. "There is no dialogue with al-Qaeda, and the Iraqi national decision is to end al-Qaeda." |
| Clashes erupted in Falluja and Ramadi after troops dismantled protest camps in the predominantly Sunni cities. | Clashes erupted in Falluja and Ramadi after troops dismantled protest camps in the predominantly Sunni cities. |
| Local Sunnis had been demonstrating for months against what they perceive as discrimination by the Shia-led government and unfair targeting of their minority community by anti-terrorism measures implemented to stem the surge in sectarian violence. | Local Sunnis had been demonstrating for months against what they perceive as discrimination by the Shia-led government and unfair targeting of their minority community by anti-terrorism measures implemented to stem the surge in sectarian violence. |