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Unabated suicide attacks by resistance fighters kill 24

Four car bombers target Iraqi and U.S. security patrols

BAGHDAD: Four suicide car bombers struck security patrols and election workers on Sunday, officials said, killing 24 persons in the latest surge of suicide attacks.

The first suicide attack killed two policemen and one civilian in the eastern New Baghdad neighbourhood, police 1st Lt. Mohammed Jasim said. The attack occurred as police inspected the bodies of two Iraqis killed by militants that had been left in the road as a trap, the U.S. military said in a statement.

The attack also wounded seven policemen, some seriously, and one other civilian.

About an hour later, a second suicide car bomber exploded near a police convoy near the Bay'a bus station in southern Baghdad, killing three police commandos and four civilians, police Capt. Talib Thamir said. Three civilians were also injured in that blast.

Blast in poll panel office

A third suicide car bomber missed a U.S. convoy but struck two minibuses, killing six civilians in the troubled Mahmoudiya town about 30 km south of Baghdad, said police Capt Rashid al-Samarie. Nine others were also wounded.

In eastern Baghdad, another car bomber triggered an explosion outside the offices of Iraq's Electoral Commission, killing five employees of the commission and one policeman, according to police and officials.

At least four others were wounded and several cars and homes were damaged in the blast.

After a lull in attacks after a security sweep last month through the capital, attacks have increased in recent days, including a suicide bombing on Saturday that killed 71 persons in Musayyib, about 70 km south of Baghdad.

On Friday, at least seven suicide attacks were carried out in the country, killing at least 30 and wounding over 110 people.

Toll goes up to 90

The Iraqi Government reported on Sunday that the death toll from the suicide bombing in front of a Shia mosque in Musayyib stands at ``more than 90.'' ``The enemies of freedom and humanity in Iraq have committed a new ugly crime that shows their bankruptcy as they target our innocent civilians in the Mussayib district killing more than 90 people,'' the Government said in a statement.

``The Government condemns this brutal attack and promises the Iraqi people it will continue to tighten the grip on the terrorist organisation by improving our armed forces.'' — AP

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