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Wave Of Bombings At Ramadan's End Kills Dozens In Iraq

Smoke rises frome the scene of a car bomb attack in Kadhimiya, Baghdad, Iraq, on Saturday.
Associated Press
Smoke rises frome the scene of a car bomb attack in Kadhimiya, Baghdad, Iraq, on Saturday.

At least 60 people are dead in Iraq after a wave of car bombs in mainly Shi'ite areas of Baghdad as Muslims observe the end of Ramadan, Eid al-Fitr. Scores more are reported wounded.

The attacks come amid an especially violent Ramadan for Iraq. The BBC reports that more than 650 people have been killed since the start of the annual Islamic fasting period. The news agency says in the latest attack, 11 bombs have ripped through cafes, markets and restaurants in at least nine different Baghdad districts.

The Associated Press reports that most of the bombings occurred within an hour of each other, suggesting they may have been coordinated. No group has claimed responsibility.

Police said the worst of the attacks on Saturday killed eight people in a single neighborhood north of the capital.

The BBC says:

"Other attacks were reported in the Shia holy city of Karbala, 80km (50 miles) south of Baghdad, and Nasiriya, 375km (230 miles) south of the capital.

Another went off near a Shia mosque in the northern city of Kirkuk."

Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Scott Neuman is a reporter and editor, working mainly on breaking news for NPR's digital and radio platforms.