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Iraq violence claims lives of 17 people

BAGHDAD, Jan 18 (KUNA) -- At least 17 Iraqis were killed and 37 others injured in a series of bombing attacks and militant attacks on a prison and shopping mall, Iraqi security sources announced.
A source at the Interior Ministry's Baghdad Operations Command told KUNA that six policemen were killed and six others wounded in a militant attack on a prison in Baghdad.
He added that the attempt to storm the prison was foiled, but 25 prisoners managed to escape during the clashes with the assailants.
A bombing attack on a famous mall in the capital Baghdad left two civilians dead and nine others injured.
Five people were killed and 13 others wounded in twin coordinated bombing attacks in the Baghdad neighborhoods of Al-Adel and Al-Jamaah. A fifth blast took place near a hospital in Baghdad, claiming the lives of two people and injuring five others. A sixth bombing occurred in Al-Nahadah parking lot and one fatality was reported.
The violence in Iraq has taken a deteriorating turn in the past few weeks after the Army and security forces broke up a year-long anti-government sit-in in the volatile Anbar city.
Tension is festering between the government of Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki, a Shiite, and Iraqi Sunnis who accuse authorities of marginalizing and targeting their community, including through wrongful detentions and accusations of involvement in terrorism.
The UN mission in Iraq said violence claimed the lives of 7,818 civilians in 2013, the highest annual death toll in years. The UN figures also showed that a total of 759 people were killed in December alone, including 661 civilians and 98 members of the security forces. The UN's monthly figures for both civilians and security forces over the year totaled 8,868. (end) mhg.ibi KUNA 182357 Jan 14NNNN