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Huge blast rocks central Baghdad Dozens killed in Baghdad bombings
(30 minutes later)
A massive explosive has killed at least nine people in a market district in the Iraqi capital Baghdad, police said. At least 45 people have been killed in three bomb attacks in market areas of the Iraqi capital Baghdad.
Dozens of people were wounded in the explosion, which sent a plume of black smoke from the Shorja market. Two bombs went off in quick succession at the Shorja market, killing more than 30 people.
Reports say the blast came exactly at the end of a 15-minute pause to mark the first anniversary of a bomb attack on an important Shia shrine in Samarra. Half an hour earlier a parcel bomb exploded at the Bab al-Sharqi market, killing about 10 people.
That attack triggered an upsurge in sectarian violence which still grips the country costing thousands of lives. The blasts came either side of a 15-minute pause to mark the first anniversary of a bomb attack on an important Shia shrine in Samarra.
The Shorja market has been bombed several times. The Samarra attack triggered an upsurge in sectarian violence which still grips the country costing thousands of lives a month.
It was once Baghdad's main shopping area, but amid the violent division of Iraq's religious communities it is now mostly a Shia Muslim area, and a target for Sunni extremist groups. Shorja market was once Baghdad's main shopping area, but amid the violent division of Iraq's religious communities it is now mostly a Shia Muslim area, and a target for Sunni extremist groups.
Iraqis had been urged to stop what they were doing for a quarter of an hour at midday (0900 GMT) on Monday to remember the attack on Samarra. One report said two cars packed with explosives were detonated in quick succession, collapsing a building and setting shops on fire.
Iraqis had been urged to stop what they were doing for a quarter of an hour at midday (0900 GMT) on Monday to mark the attack on Samarra.
Bab al-Sharqi is a rare phenomenon in Baghdad, correspondents say, in that it is still frequented by Sunni and Shia traders and customers.