Iraq: Scores die in bomb attacks

(Vatican Radio) Iraq has suffered a day of violence, with scores of people killed in a wave of bombings and explosions. Nathan Morley reports Listen:

Iraqi authorities said that a series of at least 10 attacks across the country killed more than 30 people and left dozens of others seriously wounded.

The deadliest attack took place near Balad, north of Baghdad, when gunmen and a bombing killed 11 soldiers and wounded several others.

A police recruitment centre near the city of Kirkuk was also targeted, with a bombing killing at least seven recruits and wounding 17 other people.

Various other deadly attacks were also reported across Iraq, including two bombings in the southern city of Nasiriyah. One of the blasts occurred near the French consulate.

There has been no claim of responsibility for any of the attacks.

Increased tension in Iraq's power-sharing government and a resurgence of the al-Qaeda group in the country, have raised fears of a return to widespread violence.

In July, a series of bombings and shootings killed more than 100 people across Iraq in one of the deadliest days of 2012.

U.S. troops completed their withdrawal from Iraq in December.