Officials say attacks across Iraq kill 14

By: 11 years ago

Burned vehicles remain in the Industrial Stadium a day after a series of bombs exploded in eastern Baghdad, Iraq, Saturday, April 26, 2014. Suicide bombers killed dozens of people Friday at a sports stadium hosting a campaign rally for thousands of supporters of a militant Shiite group before parliamentary elections, authorities said–an attack that could unleash more sectarian violence. AP

BAGHDAD— A series of attacks in Iraq, mainly bombings targeting markets and commercial streets, killed 14 people Sunday, officials said.

Police officials said the deadliest attack took place shortly before sunset when a bomb exploded at an outdoor market in the town of Mahmoudiya, killing four people and wounding 12.

Mahmoudiya is 30 kilometers (20 miles) south of the capital.

A bomb blast at an outdoor market in Baghdad’s eastern suburb of Maamil killed three shoppers and wounded seven, police said. In western Baghdad, police said a bomb blast in a commercial street killed two people and wounded seven.

In the northern city of Mosul, police said a car bomb exploded near an army patrol in the northern city of Mosul, killing two soldiers and wounding four.

Sunday night, police said gunmen using weapons fitted with silencers stormed an apartment in eastern Baghdad, killing three off-duty policemen. Insurgents frequently target members of Iraq’s security forces in a bid to undermine the Shiite-led government.

Medical officials confirmed the causality figures from all attacks. All officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to journalists.

Sunday’s attacks came as Iraqis awaited the announcement of the election results of the April 30 national poll that will determine the next Iraqi prime minister. It is the first parliamentary election since the withdrawal of U.S. troops.

Violence has surged in Iraq since last year, with the country weathering its deadliest bout of violence since the dark days of 2007 and 2008. United Nations figures show that violence last year in Iraq killed 8,868 people.