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19 March 2024

Bombings kill 12 in Baghdad: officials

Published
By AFP

A series of bombings hit the Iraqi capital on Tuesday, killing at least 12 people, officials said.

The four car bombs and three roadside bombs also wounded more than 40 people.

Iraq is struggling to contain the worst violence to hit the country since 2008 when it was emerging from a bloody sectarian conflict.

Security forces have launched major operations targeting militants in multiple provinces including Baghdad.

A car bomb and a roadside bomb each exploded in three different areas of the capital, while another car bomb hit a fourth.

Violence has increased markedly this year, especially since an April 23 security operation at a Sunni anti-government protest site that sparked clashes in which dozens died.

Protests erupted in Sunni-majority areas in late 2012, amid widespread discontent among Sunnis who accuse the Shiite-led government of marginalising and targeting their community.

Experts say Sunni anger is the main cause of the spike in violence this year.