Car bombings kill 19 in Shiite areas of BaghdadMay 13, 2014 - 14:06 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - A wave of car bombings in mainly Shiite areas of Baghdad killed 19 people on Tuesday, May 13, officials said, the latest in a surge in violence that has been the most serious challenge to the government's efforts to achieve stability across Iraq, the Associated Press reports. The attacks came as Iraqi Shiites were celebrating the birthday of Imam Ali, the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad and Shiite Islam's most sacred martyr. Police officials said a car bomb went off in the Baghdad neighborhood of Sadr city, killing four people and wounding six in the morning hours. Another car bomb elsewhere in Sadr city went off near a cluster of homes, killing two people and wounding seven, according to the AP. Associated Press Television footage from one of the Sadr city attacks showed a thick smoke rising from the blast area where several cars were on fire. A short while later, a car bomb exploded in a commercial street in Baghdad's eastern district of Jamila, killing three people and wounding 10. Police said a fourth car bomb went off near a traffic police office in eastern Baghdad, killing three people, including a traffic policeman. Seven people were wounded in that attack. A car bomb explosion at a square in downtown Baghdad killed two people and wounded eight, said police. Yet another car bomb went off in a commercial street in Baghdad's Shiite eastern district of Ur, killing five people and wounding 11. Medical officials confirmed the casualty figures. All officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to media. According to the United Nations, 8,868 people were killed in Iraq last year — the country's highest death toll since the peak of sectarian bloodletting in 2007 and 2008. Related links: Top stories 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". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Macron says France commemorates 109th anniv. of Armenian genocide Today France commemorates the 109th anniversary of the Armenian genocide of 1915, Macron says. Pashinyan: We must stop searching for homeland, we have found that homeland Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has shared a message on the 109th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Erdogan wants “realistic road map” for relations with Armenia Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called for a “new realistic road map” for relations with Armenia. Armenia-Azerbaijan: Experts launch work on determining coordinates Expert groups from the countries started the process of determining the coordinates based on geodetic measurements. |