Deadly bomb blasts hit Iraq

According to a number of sources, dozens of people have been killed and many injured in a series of bomb attacks across Iraq. At least four people died when two car bombs targeting Shi'a pilgrims went off in the town of Karbala.

Further bombings have been reported in Diwaniya, where an estimated 25 people died, and Taji. There has been a surge of attacks in Iraq in recent weeks; with highest number of deaths reported in June, since US troops withdrew in December.

It is thought that the Karbala attacks were targeting Shi'a pilgrims congregating before a religious ceremony on Friday 6 July. The attack is said to have injured at least 30 people.

According to Reuters news agency, a car bomb at a market in the city of Diwaniya killed at least 25 people and injured 40 others. While deadly blast in the Sunni city of Taji have killed three people and injured 15 more. According to AP news agency, a policeman was among the dead.

In other news, Iraq's oil revenues have dropped by 17.6 per cent from May to June. According to the government, this is due to dipping prices in the international market and the diversion of some production to meet domestic needs.

The violence-plagued country is heavily reliant on oil revenues, which make up about 95 per cent of the fragile democratic government's budget. Oil Ministry spokesman Assem Jihad said Iraq earned $6.453 billion in June, with an achieved average price of $90 p/b. May's revenues stood at $7.831 billion with an average price of $103.039 p/b. It is estimated that June's oil exports averaged out at 2.403 million b/d, down from an average of 2.452 million b/d in May as the ministry diverted some production to refineries.

Sources: AP, BBC News, Reuters

For more news and expert analysis about Iraq, please see Iraq Focus.

Two separate bomb attacks target Iraqi security forces

Two seperate bomb explosions in Iraq have killed at least 15 people and left dozens injured. The first of the attacks occurred at about 08:00 (05:00 GMT) when a car bomb detonated nearby an eatery frequented by security forces near the central city of Hilla, killing at least 13. The second incident transpired when a bomb attached to a military bus inside a base in Habaniya, west of the capital, killed at least two personnel.

In an unrelated attack, gunmen killed two policemen at a Baghdad checkpoint. These latest episodes follow a number of recent attacks on Iraqi security forces. According to Iraq's defence ministry statistics at least 45 police officers and 39 soldiers were killed during August alone.

It is thought that at least two of the victims in the blast near Hilla, 100km south of the capital, were policemen. According to AP news agency, at least four more officers, out of 40 people, were wounded in the attack.

The second bomb which went off as personnel were being transported within the base detonated at about 08:00 local time. Iraqi officials confirmed that those responsible for the checkpoint incident escaped after killing two policemen and injuring a third.

It is estimated that violence in Iraq has dropped significantly since 2006-2007, but isolated acts of violence remain prevalent. This has caused some concern among Iraqis about the security situation in the country especially after the pending withdrawal of US troops in December.

Sources: BBC News, AP, Reuters

For more news and expert analysis about Iraq, please see Iraq Focus.

Three bombs kill seven in Kirkuk

According to latest reports, three bombs have hit Iraq's northern city of Kirkuk killing at least seven people and injuring more than 70. The bombs exploded in quick succession near Kurdish security headquarters, two police officers are reported to be among the dead.

Kirkuk's Police Chief Maj Gen Jamal Tahir told AP news agency that, early this morning, a suicide bomber slammed his pickup truck into a wall near the Kurdish security headquarters. The second blast was near a gas station, the third occurred down a street from the first and was followed by gunshots.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attacks, but reports have emerged that militant extremists, Ansar al-Islam, have made threats. Kirkuk, which has a third of Iraq's oil reserves, is a disputed territory claimed by the central government in Baghdad and the Kurdish authorities in the north.

Sources: BBC News, Los Angeles Times, New York Times, Euronews

For more news and expert analysis about Iraq, please see Iraq Focus.