Dozens killed on month's deadliest day in Iraq
30 October, 2012
BAGHDAD: Bombings in and around Baghdad killed at least 12 people on Sunday, just a day after a wave of attacks during the Muslim holiday of Eidul-Azha resulted in Iraq's highest death toll this month. The latest violence targeted Shias, much like the shootings and bombings a day earlier, with the spate of attacks shattering a relative calm despite announcements by authorities that they would boost security during the four-day Eid break which began on Friday. Al Qaeda's front group in Iraq claimed responsibility on Monday for a series of shootings and bombings over the Eidul Azha holiday that killed dozens of people nationwide. On Sunday evening, a car bomb in the predominantly-Shias northern Baghdad neighbourhood of Kadhimiyah killed at least 10 people and injured 28 as they were outside celebrating Eid, officials said. The shootings and explosions, which also injured 85 people, were the latest in a spate of violence in the past week that has broken a relative calm, even though authorities had announced moves to boost security during the four-day Eid break. UN special envoy Martin Kobler condemned Saturday's violence as atrocious, adding in a statement, "The targeting of worshippers is an appalling crime." Saturday's deadliest attacks were in Baghdad, where 15 people were killed. In the Shia bastion of Sadr City, northeast Baghdad, twin bombings killed at least nine people and injured 32 others on Saturday evening, officials said. And in the east Baghdad neighbourhood of Maamal, a bomb exploded in a market as women were shopping for groceries alongside their children at around 9:00am. At least five people were killed, including three children and a woman, security and medical officials said, adding that 13 others were injured. An AFP journalist at the scene reported pools of blood along the street, and pieces of shrapnel mixed with vegetables scattered on the ground. Just north of Baghdad in the town of Taji, a magnetic sticky bomb attached to a minibus ferrying Shia pilgrims killed at least five people and injured 12, officials said. End.
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