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Bomb Attack Kills 8 in Northern Iraq

21 June 2010 20:55 (UTC +04:00)

Baku â€“ APA. Iraqi officials say a bomb attack in the northern part of the country has killed eight people, including six police officers, APA reports quoting â€œThe Voice of Americaâ€.

The attack came less than 24 hours after twin car bombs killed at least 26 people in the capital, Baghdad.

The latest bombings happened late Sundayin the town of Shirqat. Reports indicate two bombs were involved and that the second went off as people gathered to inspect the site of the first.

There are conflicting reports as to whether the second bombing was a suicide attack or a roadside bomb.

Iraq has been hit by a wave of violence since the nation’s parliamentary elections in March failed to yield a clear winner.

Some officials fear insurgents may be taking advantage of the country’s political deadlock to try to derail recent security gains.

The Baghdad bombs exploded within minutes of each other Sunday near the headquarters of the Trade Bank of Iraq.

Police officers and civilians were among the dead. More than 53 people were wounded.

Baghdad’s security chief (General Qassam Mohammed Atta) indicated the bank was the apparent target of the explosions

The bank was established in 2003 after the U.S.-led invasion, and is the conduit for much of the Iraqi government’s efforts to help finance reconstruction and international trade.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the bombing, but an al-Qaida front group (the Islamic State of Iraq) has said it carried out last week’s suicide attack on Iraq’s Central Bank that killed 18 people in Baghdad.