New wave of bombings kills at least 14 civilians in Iraq

PanARMENIAN.Net - A new wave of bombings in Iraq killed at least 14 civilians and wounded dozens on Tuesday, Sept 10, as insurgents try to exploit the country's political instability and undermine government efforts to maintain security, the Associated Press reports.

The deadliest took place near the eastern city of Baqouba when three car bombs targeted outdoor markets, killing at least 10 civilians and wounding 34, a police officer said. Baqouba, a former al-Qaeda stronghold, is 60 kilometers (35 miles) northeast of Baghdad.

Another police officer said a bomb hidden inside a coffee shop in the town of Latifiyah killed four and wounded 14. The town is located about 30 kilometers (20 miles) south of Baghdad.

Three medical officials confirmed the figures. All officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to release information.

No one claimed immediate responsibility for the attacks. But coordinated car bombings and attacks on civilians and security forces are a favorite tactic of the Iraqi branch of al-Qaeda. It typically does not lay claim to attacks for several days, if at all.

At least 27 people were killed and more than 50 others were wounded, when nine car bombs exploded in largely Shiite areas in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad on Sept 3.

The United Nations said about 800 Iraqis were killed in August. Most of the 804 killed were civilians, targeted in shootings and bombings mainly claimed by the Iraqi wing of al Qaeda. More than 2,000 people were wounded.

The number of people who were killed last month was however lower than in July, when the UN reported that there were 1,057 victims, the highly monthly toll since 2008. Violence in Iraq was at its height in 2006-2007 when the number of people killed per month sometimes exceeded 3,000.

Nearly 5,000 civilians have been killed and 12,000 wounded since the beginning of 2013, the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) said in a statement.

In August, Baghdad was once again the most affected governate, accounting for more than a third of those killed nationwide, the UN said.

Since 2008 violence has decreased and a rise in oil revenues has helped to boost the economy. But eighteen months since U.S. troop withdrew, bombing campaigns have increased.

Insurgents have been invigorated by the sectarian conflict in neighboring Syria and have profited from rising political tensions in Iraq.