BAGHDAD / Aswat al-Iraq: At least 14 persons were killed and 40 others were injured Friday when two booby-trapped cars went off consecutively in northern Baghdad, according to a security source.
"A car crammed with explosives went off near a bird market in al-Kadhimiya City, northern Baghdad, followed by another car bomb near the same area, killing 14 and wounding 40 and setting 14 civilian vehicles ablaze," the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.
Violence has dropped in Iraq since the worst sectarian fighting in 2006-2007, but armed groups carry out near-daily attacks on security forces and civilians in an attempt to undermine Nouri al-Maliki's government.
The current spike in attacks comes just over two months ahead of Iraq's April 20 provincial election, the first country-wide voting since the withdrawal of U.S.
forces more than a year ago.

SH (TS)