Suicide Bombings Kill Dozens in Iraq

Iraqi policemen inspect the site of a car bomb attack in Kirkuk, northern Baghad. Bomb blasts targeting police stations in several Iraqi cities killed at least 43 people, including two children, and injured dozens. Photo by EPA/BGNES

At least 43 people have died, including two children, and 243 have been wounded Wednesday in a series of attacks throughout Iraq.

The CNN has reported that 20 bombs went off in more than a dozen Iraqi cities, all before noon. Most of the attacks have targeted Iraqi security forces.

The deadliest attacks have been in Baghdad, in which 15 people have died, and in the southern city of Kut,where another 15 were killed in the suicide blasts.

There have also been reported explosions in the cities of Kirkuk, Basra, Ramadi, Karrada, Ahmeriya, Karbala and in the provinces of Anbar and Diyala.

Among the casualties were police officers, the Iraqi Interior Ministry has announced.

Although no group has taken responsibility for the attacks, according to the BBC, it was possible for them to be linked to a branch of al-Qaeda in Iraq.

The attacks come ahead of the withdrawal of US combat troops at the end of the month.

The BBC has reported that on Tuesday, the US military said the number of US troops in Iraq had fallen to 49 700, ahead of the deadline for the US operations to end.

The rest of the US troops will remain in Iraq until the end of 2011 to advise Iraqi forces and protect US interests.

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