Iraq suicide car bombing kills at least 3 people

GlobalPost

In Iraq's eighth suicide attack in a month, a bomber exploded a car near an army checkpoint outside of Baghdad on Tuesday, killing at least three people, according to Reuters.

The Associated Press reported two soldiers and two civilians dead.

"There were patches of blood, pieces of clothing and shoes scattered around the place," said policeman Furat Fleh, who was near the checkpoint when the bomb exploded. "We heard shooting and shouting after the explosion."

The blast follows a suicide attack on Monday in the same area that killed at least 21 people and wounded 44, the AP reported.  

US military troops withdrew from Iraq in December last year, and it's widely accepted that these attacks are an attempt to destabilize already frayed relations between the Shiite, Sunni and Kurdish ethnic groups.

It was in 2006-2007 that fighting between ethnic groups reached its height. Since then, fighting has decreased, though it never ended as sporadic violence continues.   

In the last few weeks, tens of thousands of Sunnis have staged anti-government protests against the Shia-led government, according to the AP.  

No group claimed responsibility for the attack on Tuesday.

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