Multiple car bomb attacks targeting the Shia Muslim community in and around the Iraqi capital Baghdad on Monday killed more than 50 people and wounded over 100 others, reports quoting police and medics said.
As many as 17 bombings took place within an hour in the cities of Baghdad, Basra, Sadr, Kut, Mahmudiya, Tobchi, Abu Dsheer, Habibiya, Hurriya, Bayaa, Samawa, Ur, Shurta, Kadhimiya and Risala.
Co-ordinated attacks were carried out in busy morning hours targeting markets and streets frequented by large number of people.
No group has claimed responsibility for the deadly attacks, but the al-Qaeda linked Sunni Islamist militants, who have been behind most massive terror attacks in the country, are suspected.
Iraq has been witnessing frequent bombings and gun attacks for the past several months, and Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki admitted that sectarian conflict has returned to the country.
Violence is at its highest since 2008 in Iraq, where the total death toll so far this year is fast approaching 4,000. In July alone, more than 800 people were killed in militant attacks, making it the bloodiest month in Iraq for years.
Major imbalances exist between Kurd, Majority Shia and minority Sunni Muslims in a coalition government led by Maliki, who is a Shia. Pro-Sunni militants take advantage of the Sunnis' feeling that they are being marginalized in power-sharing.
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