At least 69 people have been killed and scores of others injured in a day of violence throughout Iraq. In the deadliest of the attacks on Saturday, 57 people died after two bombings were carried out near a funeral tent in Shia-dominated Sadr City north of the capital Baghdad. The attack, which took place at about 5:30 pm (1430 GMT), also injured about 120 others. "The perpetrators of this horrible crime are seeking to foment sectarian strife and instability," said Iraqi parliament speaker Usama al-Nujayfi. In the northern city of Baiji, five bombers wearing SWAT uniforms attacked a police base in the morning killing four cops while most of the other forces were away on mission. Police managed to kill one of the bombers before he could detonate explosives inside the base. In the northern province of Nineveh, two prison guards, a soldier and one of the governor's guards were killed by unknown gunmen, while two more soldiers died by a roadside bomb. In Kirkuk province, also in the north of the country, a local official was abducted and killed by militants. Saturday was the deadliest day Iraq has seen since August 28, when similar attacks claimed 75 lives in the country. Violence has surged across Iraq in recent months, reaching its highest level since 2008. So far in September, over 540 people have been killed and more than 4,300 have died since the beginning of the year, according to AFP figures based on security and medical sources.

• published: 22 Sep 2013
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