Car Bombings Kill 27 In Iraq

At least 27 people have been killed in multiple
car bombs targeting markets and shopping
streets in Baghdad, an interior ministry source
said. Another 78 people were wounded in the six
bombings on Tuesday. Four separate car bombs went off in eastern
and southern districts of the capital in quick
succession. Two more car bombs exploded in markets of
Husseiniya and Shaab neighourhoods in the
north of the city. Most of the attacks were in Shia
neighbourhoods. Bomb attacks have increased in Iraq since the
start of the year. More than 1,000 Iraqis were
killed in July, the highest monthly death toll
since 2008, the United Nations said last week. The Interior Ministry has said Iraq was facing
an “open war” fuelled by sectarian violence
and has ramped up security in the capital this
week by closing roads and deploying
additional police and helicopters. Security forces have launched major
operations targeting fighters in multiple
provinces including Baghdad, during which
they have arrested scores of people and seized
weapons and explosives, according to the
defence ministry. [AlJazeera]