written by Sinan Salaheddin
Wednesday June 19, 2013
BAGHDAD — Bomb attacks in Iraq have killed seven people, including a local political leader and four of his relatives, authorities said Wednesday.
Violence has risen sharply in Iraq in recent months as sectarian tensions increase, reviving fears the country is headed back toward the widespread sectarian bloodshed that pushed it to the brink of civil war in 2006 and 2007.
The deadliest attack came when a suicide bomber blew himself up inside politician Younis al-Rammah's guest house in the northern province of Ninevah, a provincial police officer said Wednesday. Al-Rammah and four relatives were killed, and six others were wounded.
The slain leader headed a political list competing in provincial elections this Thursday. Iraq's April provincial elections were delayed in the Sunni-dominated provinces of Ninevah province and Anbar because of what Iraqi officials said were security concerns.
Candidates are frequent targets for insurgents who aim to disrupt the political process.
Shortly after sunset Wednesday, police said a bomb placed near a juice cart exploded in the Shiite neighborhood of Shula in Baghdad, killing two people and wounding eight others.
Insurgent attacks against Shiites are frequent. Sunni extremists such as al-Qaida consider Shiites as heretics.
Medical officials confirmed the deaths. Officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to release information to reporters.
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FOX news
written by AP staff
Saturday June 1, 2013
BAGHDAD – The United Nations mission to Iraq says more than 1,000 people were killed in violence in the country last month — the highest monthly death toll in years.
The figures released Saturday showed 1,045 civilians and security personnel killed in May. That surpassed the 712 killed in April, the deadliest month recorded since June 2008.
More than half of those killed were in the capital district of Baghdad.
Tallies of Iraq casualties have long been the subject of debate, and the UN total is considerably higher than that reported by news agencies in the country. The Associated Press counted at least 578 Iraqis killed in May, based on reports from Iraqi officials.
The UN says its totals are based on direct investigation and accounts from credible outside sources.
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