Iraq bombings leave 24 dead, 75 injured

At least 24 people have been killed in a wave of car bombings in Shiite areas of Baghdad, Iraqi officials said today.

Police said the explosions hit outdoor markets and car parks. The deadliest blast was in the eastern Sadr City neighbourhood where seven died. Officers said 75 other people were injured in the attacks.

Medical officials confirmed the casualty figures.

Iraqi militants often target crowded places such as markets, cafes and mosques, seeking to inflict huge casualties.

Attacks in different parts of Iraq – including two suicide bombings in the country’s relatively peaceful northern Kurdish region – killed 46 people yesterday.

More than 4,500 people have been killed since April.