Although the Eid al-Adha holiday began rather quietly, militants unleashed a torrent of violence today that left 76 people dead and 229 more wounded. The capital suffered several bombings, but so did towns in the ethnically diverse north. Also, fugitive vice president Tareq al-Hashemi offered to return to Iraq if the European Union will help guarantee him a fair trail. Hashemi fled after, what many claim, was a politically motivated campaign to take power away from Sunni politicians.
In the Baghdad region, the terror began at sunset. A bomb killed 11 people and wounded 22 more in the northern suburb of Husseiniya. Eight people were killed and 15 more were wounded in a blast in the mixed Christian neighborhood of Garage al-Amana. A car bomb exploded next to a Gareat restaurant, killing seven and wounding 14 more. A second bomb was reported. Four people were killed and 12 more were wounded in a blast in New Baghdad. A suicide bomber attacked a Doura checkpoint, where he killed five people and wounded nine more. A bombing in Shurta left three dead and 12 wounded.
In Allawi, a bomb killed two people and wounded 13 more. One civilian was killed and seven more were wounded in a bombing in Bayaa. A blast in Maamil wounded 13 people. Five people were killed and 16 were wounded in Sadr City where a car bomb was detonated next to a playground.
At least 15 people were killed and 60 more were wounded near Mosul in the Shabak village of Moufaqiya, when a suicide bomber detonated an explosives-packed car at 6:00 a.m.
In Mosul itself, a bomb targeting a home belonging to a Shabak family left one child dead and three other people wounded. Gunmen killed a policeman and wounded another in separate attacks.
A suicide bomber set off his vest inside a cafe in the predominantly Turkmen city of Tuz Khormato where at least four people were killed and 27 more were wounded.
In Wadi Hajar, gunmen blew up four homes belonging to policemen. The attacks left four people dead and two children wounded.
Gunmen killed one policeman and wounded another in Falluja.
A policeman was gunned down in a Ramadi drive-by shooting.
A bomb at the home of the head councilman of Karbala province managed to only wound one policeman.
In Kirkuk, a policeman was wounded during a shooting at the home of an officer.
