Iraq witnesses bloodiest day in weeks after string of bomb attacks

by Xu Yanyan, Song Dan

BAGHDAD, April 23 (Xinhua) -- Iraqis on Friday witnessed the most bloody day in the past three weeks, with at least 60 people killed and 117 others wounded in a string of car and roadside bombings in Baghdad and western Anbar province.

Iraqis stand in front of the collapsed building after a seris of deadly bombings on Friday in Baghdad. Reportedly at least 60 people were killed and 117 wounded in the bombings in Baghdad and western Anbar province.(Xinhua/AFP Photo)

The most serious attack occurred close to Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr's office in Sadr city, killing 39 and wounding 56, said the source on condition of anonymity, adding that actually there were two cars loaded with explosives and were detonated together.

In eastern Baghdad, another car bomb and a roadside bomb explosion attacked a Shiite mosque, leaving 8 killed and 23 injured, he said.

Earlier in the day, a booby-trapped car apparently targeting a Shiite mosque blasted in northern Baghdad, killing 5 and wounding 14 others.

A moment later, a market in Haifa street close to the Justice Ministry was also attacked by a car bomb explosion, wounding seven. Xinhua reporters could clearly see the heavy smoke rising from the blast site. Ambulances rushed to the site just a few minutes after the explosion.

In a separate blast in southern Baghdad, six people were injured, said the source.

Iraqi officials have blamed the attacks as al-Qaida's revenge after the group's top leaders were killed by security forces last week.

"This is a revenge by al-Qaida for what they lost; we expect such terrorist acts to continue," Baghdad security spokesman Qassim al-Moussawi told media.