At least 75 dead in Iraq bloodshed

The toll from a wave of violence in Iraq, including
attacks in the capital, rose on Thursday to at least
75 killed and over 200 wounded, officials said. The unrest on Wednesday included more than a
dozen bombings in the capital, with the deadliest
attacks targeting Shiite Muslim neighbourhoods. It was the latest in surging violence nationwide
that has sparked worries Iraq may be sliding back
towards the all-out sectarian war that killed tens
of thousands in 2006 and 2007. Overall, 71 people were killed in Baghdad and
towns just south of the capital, security and
medical officials said on Thursday, updating a toll
from the previous day. Four others died in attacks in north Iraq. The bloodshed pushed the death toll from the
month's violence above 600, according to an AFP
tally based on reports from security and medical
officials. No group immediately claimed responsibility, but
Sunni militants linked to Al-Qaeda frequently carry
out such coordinated attacks targeting Shiites,
whom they regard as apostates. Iraq has seen a marked rise in the level of violence
this year, coinciding with demonstrations by the
Sunni Arab minority against alleged ill treatment
at the hands of the Shiite-led government and
security forces. Though diplomats and analysts have urged
broad-reaching moves to tackle Sunni
frustrations, which they say give militant groups
room to recruit and carry out attacks, Prime
Minister Nuri al-Maliki has vowed to press on with
an anti-militant campaign.