Series of explosions rock Iraqi cities

Thursday, 19 April 2012 04:48

Written by aljazeera.net

A number of Iraqi cities, including Baghdad, Kirkuk and Samara, have been rocked by a series of deadly explosions which has left 21 people dead and many more injured.

In the capital, police said roadside bombs and car explosions targeted security patrols and the nation's top health official, Hamad Amin, the health minister, as his convoy was driving him to work.

At least three Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) went off in the neighbourhoods of al-Amel, southwestern Baghdad, and Taji, north of Baghdad, killing two people and injuring 11, a police source told Al Jazeera.

Three more seperate car bombings in central and northern Baghdad killed five people and injured 13 others.

In Al Ghazaliya district, western Baghdad, an IED exploded as two gunmen were setting it up. Both gunmen were killed, the police source said.

Police say two car bombs went off in Kirkuk, 290km north of Baghdad, which killed nine people and injured 24 others.

In Samara city, north of Baghdad, a car bombing resulted in three people killed and six others injured.

Thursday was the deadliest day in Iraq since March 20, when shootings and bombings claimed by an al-Qaeda affiliated group killed 50 people and wounded 255 nationwide.

Violence in Iraq has fallen sharply from its peak in 2006 and 2007, but attacks still continue across the country.