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Deadly bombs hit central Baghdad Dozens killed in Baghdad attacks
(40 minutes later)
At least 54 people have been killed by two bomb attacks in a shopping area in the centre of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, security officials say. At least 54 people have been killed by two bomb attacks in the Karada shopping area in the centre of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, security officials say.
The blasts in the Karada district left another 130 people injured. The blasts left another 130 people injured, the officials said.
A witness at the scene described people holding body parts and a woman crying as rescuers searched for her sons.A witness at the scene described people holding body parts and a woman crying as rescuers searched for her sons.
Iraqi government figures this week showed that the number of Iraqi civilians killed in February was a third higher than in January. The BBC's Hugh Sykes in Baghdad said the second bomb targeted crowds gathered at the site of the first, causing the high death toll.
It reversed six months of falling death tolls attributed to a surge in US troop numbers, the formation of anti-al-Qaeda militias by Sunni Arab tribes and a freeze in activities of the Mehdi Army militia loyal to radical Shia cleric Moqtada Sadr. He says there are no obvious military targets in the area, and local residents were out shopping ahead of the Iraqi weekend in fine spring weather when the bombs exploded.
TeenagersTeenagers
Thursday's blasts occurred within a few minutes of each other, police said. A roadside bomb exploded first in the predominantly Shia area, followed a few minutes later by a second blast caused by a suicide bomber, police said.
Karada is a popular shopping area in central BaghdadA roadside bomb exploded first in the predominantly Shia neighbourhood, which was followed a few minutes later by a bomb in a nearby rubbish bin, the Associated Press news agency reported, citing police and hospital officials. Karada is a popular shopping area in central Baghdad
Many of the victims were reported to be teenagers and young adults. Many of the victims were teenagers and young adults.
Hassan Abdullah, 25, told AP he was standing near the clothing shop he owns when the first explosion went off about 150 metres away.Hassan Abdullah, 25, told AP he was standing near the clothing shop he owns when the first explosion went off about 150 metres away.
He was walking towards the scene when the second explosion struck.He was walking towards the scene when the second explosion struck.
"I saw a leg and a hand falling near me as I was walking. The whole place was a mess," he said."I saw a leg and a hand falling near me as I was walking. The whole place was a mess," he said.
"Wounded people were crying for help and people started to run away.""Wounded people were crying for help and people started to run away."
Our correspondent says attacks like this used to occur almost daily but have become much less common in recent months.
However, Iraqi government figures this week showed that the number of Iraqi civilians killed in February was a third higher than in January.
The figures reversed the six-month-long trend of falling death tolls attributed to a surge in US troop numbers, the formation of anti-al-Qaeda militias by Sunni Arab tribes and a freeze in activities of the Mehdi Army militia loyal to radical Shia cleric Moqtada Sadr.