Black Monday in Iraq: '55 killed while almost 300 are injured' in deadly wave of bombings

A SERIES of highly coordinated deadly attacks across Iraq has claimed at least 55 lives, injuring at least 300 more.

Car bombs and blasts in cities across Iraq reportedly killed at least 55 Car bombs and blasts in cities across Iraq reportedly killed at least 55

The shocking surge in violence comes just days ahead of Iraq hosting elections for the first time since US troops withdrew – testing security forces' ability to prevent bloodshed.

The violence, which mostly struck during yesterday morning's rush hour amid tightened security ahead of the polls, has raised further questions about the credibility of the April 20 vote, seen as a key test of Iraq's stability and its security forces' capabilities.

A total of 14 election hopefuls have already been murdered and just 12 of the country's 18 provinces will be taking part in the vote.

Officials said more than 30 bombings and a shooting hit 12 different areas of Iraq, leaving 55 people dead and making Monday the country's deadliest day since March 19.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attacks, but Sunni militants linked to al-Qaeda frequently attack both government targets and civilians in a bid to destabilise the country, and they have reportedly sought to intimidate candidates and election officials ahead of polling.

 An Iraqi policeman inspects the site of a car bomb attack in Kirkuk, northern Iraq

I blame those who call themselves politicians in government and the security forces

Qassim Saad

Iraqi officials believe the insurgent group is growing stronger and increasingly coordinating with allies fighting to topple Syrian President Bashar Assad across the border.

They say rising lawlessness on the Syria-Iraq frontier and cross-border cooperation with a Syrian group, the Nusra Front, has improved the militants' supply of weapons and foreign fighters.

The deadliest attacks were in Baghdad, where eight bombings struck in seven neighbourhoods across the capital despite tougher checkpoint searches and heightened security.

Among them was a car bomb in a parking area used by vehicles making their way to Baghdad's heavily guarded airport.

"Two vehicles managed to reach the entrance of Baghdad airport and were left parked there. While we were doing routine searches, the two cars exploded seconds apart.

"Two passengers travelling to the airport were killed," a police source said.

 Iraqi policemen stand at the site of a car bomb attack in Kirkuk

In the eastern suburbs of Kamaliya, a parked car bomb exploded in a bus station, killing four and wounding 13.

Qassim Saad, an Arabic language teacher in an elementary school nearby, said his pupils began screaming as the explosion shattered windows and sparked panic.

He described a chaotic scene where security forces opened fire into the air upon arrival to disperse onlookers.

Wooden carts carrying vegetables, fruit and other goods were overturned and stained with blood, and several nearby buildings and shops were damaged by the blast.

Like many Iraqis after major bombings, he criticized the government for not doing enough to prevent deadly attacks.

"I blame those who call themselves politicians in government and the security forces ... for this bad security situation.

"They are doing nothing to help the people and are only looking out for their benefits," he said.

 Civilians gather at the scene of a car bomb attack in east Baghdad's neighborhood of Kamaliya

Elsewhere, in Tuz Khurmatu, 175 kilometres north of Baghdad, six people were killed and 67 wounded by three nearly simultaneous car bombs.

In  oil-rich Kirkuk – where tensions over resources have particularly spiked – five people were killed and 44 wounded by six more car bombs.

Although violence in Iraq has fallen from its peak in 2006 and 2007, bombings and other attacks remain common.

The blasts struck a day after a series of attacks left 10 people dead, including a Sunni candidate running in the upcoming provincial elections.

The most serious attack on Sunday happened when a booby-trapped body exploded among a group of policemen, who were trying to inspect the body that was left in the street.

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