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| Iraq Killings Raise Fears of Renewed Sectarian Conflict | Iraq Killings Raise Fears of Renewed Sectarian Conflict |
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| BAGHDAD — A wave of car bombings and gunfire attacks hit cities in Iraq overnight and on Monday, killing at least 76 people and wounding more than 250, medical and security officials said. Some news agency reports put the overall toll even higher, at 86 or more dead. | |
| The attacks sharpened concerns that sectarian violence was pushing the country toward a conflagration similar to the widespread fighting of 2006 and 2007, before the withdrawal of American forces. | The attacks sharpened concerns that sectarian violence was pushing the country toward a conflagration similar to the widespread fighting of 2006 and 2007, before the withdrawal of American forces. |
| In Baghdad, at least seven car bombs went off on Monday in Shiite neighborhoods, killing at least 25 people and wounding at least 150; some news reports cited as many as 10 car bombs and 48 deaths. The string of attacks followed bomb blasts in Sunni areas on Friday that killed at least 66 people. | In Baghdad, at least seven car bombs went off on Monday in Shiite neighborhoods, killing at least 25 people and wounding at least 150; some news reports cited as many as 10 car bombs and 48 deaths. The string of attacks followed bomb blasts in Sunni areas on Friday that killed at least 66 people. |
| Also on Monday, two car bombs exploded at a restaurant and a bus stop in the southern city of Basra, killing 15 people, officials said. In Balad, north of Baghdad, a car bomb explosion targeting a bus of Iranian pilgrims killed 12 Iranians and 2 Iraqis, a police official said. The pilgrims had been returning to the capital after visiting a Shiite shrine in Samarra. | Also on Monday, two car bombs exploded at a restaurant and a bus stop in the southern city of Basra, killing 15 people, officials said. In Balad, north of Baghdad, a car bomb explosion targeting a bus of Iranian pilgrims killed 12 Iranians and 2 Iraqis, a police official said. The pilgrims had been returning to the capital after visiting a Shiite shrine in Samarra. |
| Late on Monday in Hilla, south of Baghdad, a suicide bomber stormed a Shiite mosque called Al Wardiya during the last prayer of the day, killing at least 10 people and wounding 50 others. Minutes later, an improvised explosive device went off close to another Shiite mosque nearby, killing two people and wounding 30 others, a police official said. | |
| In restive Anbar Province, which has been the scene of predominantly Sunni protests against the mostly Shiite government, 10 police officers were killed when unidentified gunmen armed with automatic weapons and antitank rockets struck a police station late on Sunday. | In restive Anbar Province, which has been the scene of predominantly Sunni protests against the mostly Shiite government, 10 police officers were killed when unidentified gunmen armed with automatic weapons and antitank rockets struck a police station late on Sunday. |
| A tribal leader in the province said there would be further attacks on security forces because the government had not responded to the demands of demonstrators. | A tribal leader in the province said there would be further attacks on security forces because the government had not responded to the demands of demonstrators. |
| “We will not accept the army in Anbar; this is out of the question,” said Muhammed Khamis Abu Risha, a fugitive former member of the Sunni Awakening, the fighters who were paid to switch sides and fight alongside the United States against Al Qaeda before the American pullback in late 2011. “The protest is not peaceful anymore, and we are ready for them. The coming days will not pass peacefully. We don’t want democracy any more.” | “We will not accept the army in Anbar; this is out of the question,” said Muhammed Khamis Abu Risha, a fugitive former member of the Sunni Awakening, the fighters who were paid to switch sides and fight alongside the United States against Al Qaeda before the American pullback in late 2011. “The protest is not peaceful anymore, and we are ready for them. The coming days will not pass peacefully. We don’t want democracy any more.” |
| The bodies of five police officers who had been kidnapped in Anbar last week were found on Monday. | The bodies of five police officers who had been kidnapped in Anbar last week were found on Monday. |
| The fighting has trapped civilians. “Whenever we have hope and start to build our life again, whenever we feel healing from our wounds, a shock hits us and we feel that we lose again,” said Haider al-Musawi, 33, a shop owner who witnessed one of the bombings, at a market in Baghdad. “Iraq is never going to get better as long as we have those politicians that are not man enough to say that we have failed.” | The fighting has trapped civilians. “Whenever we have hope and start to build our life again, whenever we feel healing from our wounds, a shock hits us and we feel that we lose again,” said Haider al-Musawi, 33, a shop owner who witnessed one of the bombings, at a market in Baghdad. “Iraq is never going to get better as long as we have those politicians that are not man enough to say that we have failed.” |
| Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki said on Monday that some Parliament members were to blame for the instability, alleging that they were exploiting sectarian passions for their own political interests. He also accused Sunni leaders of stoking the unrest. | Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki said on Monday that some Parliament members were to blame for the instability, alleging that they were exploiting sectarian passions for their own political interests. He also accused Sunni leaders of stoking the unrest. |
| “The sectarian speeches at the demonstration sites are giving the insurgents a reason to kill,” he said at a news conference. | “The sectarian speeches at the demonstration sites are giving the insurgents a reason to kill,” he said at a news conference. |
Yasir Ghazi contributed reporting from Baghdad. | Yasir Ghazi contributed reporting from Baghdad. |