Gunmen have ambushed several minibuses south of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, killing at least nine people and abducting dozens more, police say.
Gunmen have ambushed several minibuses south of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, killing at least 12 people and abducting dozens more, police say.
The attack apparently took place when the vehicles were stopped at a false checkpoint in the town of Latifiya, a stronghold of Sunni Arab insurgents.
The attack apparently took place when the vehicles were stopped at a false checkpoint near the town of Yusufiya, a stronghold of Sunni Arab insurgents.
Earlier eight people died and more than 30 were injured when two bombs exploded in a crowded market in central Baghdad.
Yusufiya is in the so-called Triangle of Death, which has seen a big increase in attacks in recent years.
At least five Iraqis and two US-led coalition troops died in other attacks.
Earlier eight died when two bombs exploded in a central Baghdad market.
Also, Baghdad police said they had found 25 corpses dumped in various parts of the capital in a 24-hour period from Friday to Saturday evening.
The busy Shorja wholesale market has been the scene of many deadly attacks.
The blasts, both believed to be caused by car bombs, happened almost simultaneously, officials said.
In a separate development, US authorities offered a reward of up to $50,000 to find a kidnapped soldier.
In a separate development, US authorities offered a reward of up to $50,000 to find a kidnapped soldier.
Iraqi-born Specialist Ahmed Qusai al-Taayie, a reservist, was abducted by gunmen during a visit to his wife's family on 23 October.
Iraqi-born Specialist Ahmed Qusai al-Taayie, a reservist, was abducted by gunmen during a visit to his wife's family on 23 October.
Mortars
In other developments:
In the main attack of the day in Baghdad, two bombs went off at the busy Shorja wholesale market, the scene of many previous deadly attacks.
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Two
soldiers of the US-led coalition in the southern Polish zone - one Polish and one Slovak - were killed when their vehicle was blown up by a roadside bomb near Kut, 160 km south-east of Baghdad
The blasts, both believed to be caused by car bombs, happened almost simultaneously, officials said.
Baghdad
police said they had found 25 corpses dumped in various parts of the capital in a 24-hour period from Friday to Saturday evening
In other violence, two separate roadside bombs each killed at least one person in Baghdad.
Two
separate roadside bombs each killed at least one person in Baghdad
A suicide car bomber attacked a police station and killed two people in the town of Zaghinya near Baquba, 65 km (40 miles) north of Baghdad.
A
suicide car bomber attacked a police station and killed two people in the town of Zaghinya near Baquba, 65 km (40 miles) north of Baghdad
Meanwhile, two soldiers of the US-led coalition in the southern Polish zone - one Polish and one Slovak - were killed when their vehicle was blown up by a roadside bomb near Kut, 160 km south-east of Baghdad.
The
US government's representative office in the Iraqi town of Hilla came under mortar attack for the second time in recent weeks, reportedly sparking a fire in the complex.
The US government's representative office in the Iraqi town of Hilla came under mortar attack, reportedly sparking a fire in the complex.
It was the second attack on the office in recent weeks.
More than 100 people have been killed in Iraq in the past four days as Baghdad and other parts of Iraq suffered renewed violence after a curfew imposed for the sentencing of Saddam Hussein was lifted.
More than 100 people have been killed in Iraq in the past four days as Baghdad and other parts of Iraq suffered renewed violence after a curfew imposed for the sentencing of Saddam Hussein was lifted.
On Wednesday, two car bombs set off in busy markets killed at least 10 people, while on Thursday in Baghdad alone 18 people died in a series of bombings.
On Wednesday, two car bombs set off in busy markets killed at least 10 people, while on Thursday in Baghdad alone 18 people died in a series of bombings.
