28 killed in Iraq bomb blasts

Reuters

Six bombs struck Shia mosques across the Iraqi capital yesterday, killing at least 28 people and wounding at least 130. The six apparently co-ordinated blasts occurred outside mosques and prayer centres, including one frequented by followers of the radical Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. They came after US troops withdrew from Iraq's cities, leaving security in the hands of Iraqi forces. The blasts were a reminder of the militants' persistent capabilities despite the sharp drop in violence over the past 18 months. In the worst attack, a car bomb struck people praying in the street outside a crowded mosque in northern Baghdad's Shaab district, killing at least 23 people and wounding 107.