Iraq hit by string of attacks, dozens killed
An Iraqi policeman inspects damages following a bomb attack at the Shiite endowment headquarters in central Baghdad on June 4, 2012. A suicide attacker blew up a bomb-packed car at the Shiite religious foundation’s headquarters in Baghdad, killing more than 20 people in the Iraqi capital’s deadliest blast in more than four months.
Attacks across Iraq today killed at least 35 people in predominantly Shiite regions, local police said, according to CNN.
Militants launched a series of bombings and shootings in the run up to next week's Eid al-Fitr (literally: "festivity of breaking the fast"), a major Muslim event marking the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, said Reuters.
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Violence was reported in Baghdad as well as four other provinces: Kirkuk, Salaheddin, Anbar, Wasit and Diyala, reported CNN.
One particularly deadly incident took place north of the capital, where local police told CNN 15 gunmen assaulted a military checkpoint and killed 10 Iraqi troops.
In Anbar province's Falluja, a similar attack at a police post took the lives of six soldiers and seven civilians, CNN cited local officials as saying, while the northern oil-rich city of Kirkuk was hit by four car bombings, said Reuters.
Although casualty figures and attack totals varied, Agence France-Press cited officials saying over a dozen explosions and shootings were seen in 13 Iraqi cities.
Today's violence brings the number killed in Iraq this month to 178 people, according to AFP.
Al Qaeda's Iraqi branch, the Islamic State of Iraq, earlier this month announced a new offensive in the country, said Reuters.