A dozen bombings on Monday in and around Baghdad and north of the city killed at least 41 and wounded 125 others, security officials said. Many of the attacks struck outdoor markets or restaurants in the Baghdad area, including the neighborhoods or suburbs of Al Nasser, Karrada, Al Jihad and Nahrawan. Bombings were also reported in Mosul and Tikrit. An extended spasm of violence in Iraq has left more than 2,000 people dead since April. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for Monday’s bombings, but security forces and Shiite civilians are often attacked by members of Al Qaeda’s Iraq branch. The security forces closed off most of Baghdad’s main streets to civilian traffic and tightened security as ambulances raced around the city, transporting the wounded to hospitals. 

Source:The New York Times