31 killed in Iraq bomb attacksApril 15, 2013 - 18:24 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - A series of bomb attacks across Iraq have killed 31 people and wounded well over 100 others, Belfast Telegraph said. The attacks, many involving car bombs, took place less than a week before Iraqis in much of the country are scheduled to vote in the first elections since the 2011 US troop withdrawal. The vote will be a key test of security forces' ability to keep voters safe. There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but co-ordinated attacks are a favourite tactic of al-Qaida's Iraq branch. Iraqi officials believe the insurgent group is growing stronger and increasingly co-ordinating with allies fighting to topple Syrian president Bashar Assad across the border. They say rising lawlessness on the Syria-Iraq frontier and cross-border co-operation with the Syrian militant group Nusra Front has improved the militants' supply of weapons and foreign fighters. Nearly all of the deadly attacks reported by police officials were bombings, which struck Baghdad, the western city of Fallujah, the contested northern city of Kirkuk and towns south of the capital. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Pashinyan’s spokesperson denies intention to visit Baku for COP29 Pashinyan’s agenda doesn’t include a trip to Baku for the COP29 conference, his press secretary Nazeli Baghdasaryan has said. Lithuania sending €100,000 to help Armenia fight floods consequences Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan took to social media to thank his Lithuanian counterpart for the contribution. Armenia: Rescue workers restore pedestrian bridge for flood-hit community Rescue workers on Wednesday, June 5 restored a pedestrian bridge in the town of Alaverdi in Armenia’s north. Turkey condemns Uruguay’s recognition of Armenian Genocide Turkey has condemned a newly passed law in Uruguay that recognizes the Armenian Genocide, TRT reports. |