Wave of bombings in Iraqi capital kill at least 66 people

(27 May 2013) 1. Various of damaged cars, people near blast scene 2. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Mohamed Jabir, car dealer: "I heard an explosion. Two car bombs exploded, one of them next to my showroom. Many of my cars were burnt." 3. Ambulance speeding away from blast site STORYLINE: A wave of car bombings tore through mostly Shiite Muslim neighbourhoods of Baghdad starting on Monday afternoon leaving at least 66 dead in the latest outburst of an unusually intense wave of bloodshed roiling Iraq. The blasts are the latest indication that Iraq's security is rapidly deteriorating as sectarian tensions exacerbated by months of Sunni-led anti-government protests and the war in neighbouring Syria are on the rise. Iraq has been hit by a wave of bloodshed that has killed more than 350 people in the past two weeks alone. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for Monday's bloodshed, but the attacks bore the hallmarks of al-Qaida's Iraqi arm. The group, known as the Islamic State of Iraq, frequently use car bombs and coordinated blasts in an effort to undermine Iraqis' confidence in the Shiite-led government. The day's deadliest attack happened when two bombs exploded in the eastern Habibiya neighbourhood, which is near the sprawling Shiite district of Sadr City in the capital's north. That attack killed 12 killed and wounded 35, according to police. Twin blasts also struck an open-air market in the predominantly Shiite al-Maalif area, killing six and wounding 12 others, two police officers said. Another car bomb exploded in the busy commercial Sadoun Street in central Baghdad. It killed five civilians and wounded 14 others, two other police officers said. Among the wounded were four policemen who were in a nearby checkpoint. The street is one of the major hubs in the capital for clinics, pharmacies and shops. Elsewhere, police said a car bomb went off in the capital's eastern New Baghdad area as they were waiting for explosives experts to dismantle it, killing a civilian and wounding nine others. In the northern Sabi al-Boor neighbourhood, police said eight civilians were killed and 26 wounded when another car bomb exploded in a market. Meanwhile in the southwestern neighbourhood of Bayaa, another car bomb explosion in a market killed six civilians and wounded 16. In northern Baghdad's Kazimiyah district, a car bomb blew up near a bus and taxi stop, killing four and wounding 11 others. And in Baghdad's central Sadria area, a car bomb went off in a market and killed three civilians and wounded 11. In the eastern Jisr Diyala area, a car bomb killed five and wounded 12. And in the northern Shaab area, a car bomb killed four and wounded nine. Car bombs also struck the eastern Baladiyat neighbourhood, killing four and wounding 11, and the northern neighbourhood of Hurriyah, leaving five dead and 14 wounded. In Madain, about 20 kilometres (12 miles) south of central Baghdad, a car bomb killed three and wounded nine. Medical officials confirmed the causality figures. All officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorised to release information. Although violence has decreased sharply in Iraq since the height of insurgency, militants are still capable to carry out lethal attacks nationwide. The recent wave of bloodshed has raised tensions between the country's Sunni minority and Shiite-led government. The surge in violence has been reminiscent of the sectarian carnage that pushed Iraq to the brink of civil war in 2006 and 2007. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...