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Two car bombs kill 15 near Basra Iraq police chief's children held
(30 minutes later)
At least 15 people - including women and children - have been killed in two car bomb blasts in southern Iraq. Gunmen in Iraq have attacked the house of a senior police officer, killing his wife and 13 other people and taking away three of his children.
At least another 30 were injured in the attacks, which took place in Qurna, 60km (35 miles) north of Basra. The attack took place late on Thursday on the house of Col Ali al-Jurani, the head of emergency police in the town of Kanaan, in Diyala province.
One exploded at a bus station and the other shortly afterwards at the market in the town at around 0730 (0330 GMT). Diyala has been the scene of some of the worst violence in Iraq.
Such attacks occur daily in Baghdad and other parts of troubled central Iraq, but there have been very few as far south, says our Baghdad correspondent. In southern Iraq, at least 15 people, including women and children, died in two car bomb blasts on Friday.
The bombs, hidden in two parked cars, went off in swift succession just as people were starting to crowd into the street market area in the centre of town to sell or buy fresh produce. At least another 30 were injured in the attacks, which targeted a busy market and a bus station in the town of Qurna, 60km (35 miles) north of Basra.
There was no apparent target, apart from the people themselves, says our correspondent. Hundreds of people die every month in attacks which have brought Iraq to the brink of civil war.
Millions of people have also been displaced by the spiralling sectarian strife.
"Several armed men attacked my house at 2200 (1800 GMT) and killed 14 people, including my wife, brother and my 12 bodyguards," Col Jurani told AFP news agency.
"The attackers also kidnapped my three children - two boys and a girl," he said.
It was not clear if he was at home at the time.
Stoking tensionsStoking tensions
The Qurna bombs, hidden in two parked cars, went off in swift succession just as people were starting to crowd into the street market area in the centre of town to sell or buy fresh produce.
Car bomb attacks like the ones in Qurna occur daily in Baghdad and other parts of troubled central Iraq, but there have been very few as far south, says the BBC's Jim Muir in Baghdad.
There was no apparent target, apart from the people themselves, says our correspondent.
The population in the south is mainly Shia.The population in the south is mainly Shia.
There are local power struggles, but indiscriminate car bombs like this in busy areas are not part of that, our correspondent says.There are local power struggles, but indiscriminate car bombs like this in busy areas are not part of that, our correspondent says.
Most of the violence in Iraq is between Sunnis and Shias.Most of the violence in Iraq is between Sunnis and Shias.
The Sunnis accuse Shia militias and their allies in the security forces of operating squads that kidnap, torture and kill Sunni civilians.The Sunnis accuse Shia militias and their allies in the security forces of operating squads that kidnap, torture and kill Sunni civilians.
Similar explosions elsewhere have been widely blamed on Sunni insurgents.Similar explosions elsewhere have been widely blamed on Sunni insurgents.
This attack is likely to be seen as yet another attempt to stir up sectarian trouble between Shias and Sunnis, says our correspondent.This attack is likely to be seen as yet another attempt to stir up sectarian trouble between Shias and Sunnis, says our correspondent.
Hundreds of people die every month in attacks which have brought Iraq to the brink of civil war.
Millions of people have also been displaced by the spiralling sectarian strife.
Friday's attack in Qurna came just a day after another British soldier was killed in a clash with Shia militia fighters further south at Basra itself, bringing the total of British who have died in Iraq in the past four years to 150.Friday's attack in Qurna came just a day after another British soldier was killed in a clash with Shia militia fighters further south at Basra itself, bringing the total of British who have died in Iraq in the past four years to 150.
American forces have now lost more than 3,500 troops.American forces have now lost more than 3,500 troops.