Surge of sectarian violence leaves 20 dead in Iraq

THREE back-to-back explosions killed 20 people and wounded more than 70 last night in a mostly Shi’ite neighbourhood in southern Baghdad, police said.

The first blast occurred when a rocket struck an apartment building in the Zafraniyah neighbourhood, police Lt Thaer Mahmoud said.

About 10 minutes later, a car bomb exploded as police and bystanders rushed to the scene, he said. A bomb strapped to a motorcycle went off in the same area minutes later, he said.