Al-Qaeda Claims It Captured Soldiers

Heightens fears that attacks will increase now that US has withdrawn

(AP) - A wave of bombings targeting Shiites in Iraq killed 72 people today, deepening sectarian tensions that exploded just after the last American troops left the country in mid-December. The bombings began early in the morning when explosions struck two Shiite neighborhoods in Baghdad, killing at least 27 people. A few hours later, a suicide attack hit Shiite pilgrims heading to the holy Shiite city of Karbala, killing 45; those explosions took place about 200 miles southeast of Baghdad. More»

'List of targets has no end,' terrorists warn

(NEWSER) - An al-Qaeda affiliated group has claimed responsibility for the bombs that killed 127 people in Baghdad this week, and warned that many more attacks are on the way. A statement from the group said the coordinated suicide car bombings targeted the "bastions of evil and dens of apostates," AP reports. The group said it's determined to uproot the Iraqi government. More»

Blast at Iraqi ministries left 155 dead

(AP) - Al-Qaeda's umbrella group in Iraq claimed responsibility for this weekend's twin suicide bombings in the heart of Baghdad that killed at least 155 people, including 24 children trapped in a bus leaving a day care center. The group, known as the Islamic State of Iraq, said in a statement posted on the Internet last night that its "martyrs targeted the dens of infidelity." The same group also claimed responsibility for the August bombings of two government ministries in Baghdad that killed more than 100. More»

Insurgents shift to smaller devices as security tightens

(NEWSER) - Small explosives dubbed "sticky IEDs" are contributing to a growing feeling of unease in Baghdad, the New York Times reports. The fist-sized bombs attached to magnets or adhesives are hard to detect, easy for a furtive bomber to put in place and have become the weapon of choice for militants thwarted by tighter security in their efforts to plant bigger bombs. More»

(NEWSER) - Iraqi police found the body of a man dressed in a U.S. military uniform in the Euphrates river today. A soldier from the unit that lost three soldiers earlier in the month is en route to see if he can identify the body. If the body belongs to one of the missing soldiers, his family will be notified before any public announcement is made. More»