6 Car Bombs Kill 48 in Baghdad

Heightens fears that attacks will increase now that US has withdrawn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»

(NEWSER) - The recent spate of violence in Iraq may pale in comparison to the relentless suicide bombings of 2006, but Baghdad is beginning to hunker down in fear again, the Los Angeles Times reports. Residents are curtailing their public activities, checking in with each other more often to make sure family members are okay, and worrying about the imminent withdrawal of US troops. More»

Explosion comes day after US says attacks have plummeted

(AP) - A car bomb exploded near a crowded market in a mainly Shiite area of Baghdad today, killing as many as 20 people, Iraqi officials said, in the sixth major attack in Iraq this month. The blast occurred a day after the US military said overall attacks nationwide have fallen to levels equal to the early months of the war. More»

Suicide attacks rock police academy, US-Iraqi patrol

(AP) - Suicide bombers struck today near a Baghdad police academy and in Mosul against a joint US-Iraqi patrol, together killing 31 people, Iraqi officials said. In Baghdad, a car bomb exploded outside the heavily fortified academy. Minutes later, a suicide attacker blew himself up as police rushed to respond to the blast. Sixteen people were killed and 45 were wounded, police said. 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»