At least 19 killed, 50 wounded, in Baghdad bomb blasts

Bombs struck a busy outdoor market and a police patrol in a predominantly Shiite area of Baghdad today, killing at least 19 people and wounding more than 50 others.

The first explosion targeted a police patrol in the New Baghdad area in eastern Baghdad, killing two policemen and four civilians and wounding 11 other people, including three policemen, said Lt. Ali Abbas.

That was followed about an hour later by a blast at the fruit market in the same area, shortly after Iraqi prime minister Nouri Maliki and US officials announced that terror mastermind Abu Musab al-Zarqawi had been killed in an air strike north of Baghdad.

Two women were among the 13 killed when the bomb detonated at the entrance of the market, severely damaging several shops, police Col. Ahmed Abod said, adding that at least 39 people were wounded in that attack.