By Mohammad Al-Ghazzi
BAGHDAD, June 25 (KUNA) -- The Iraqi capital witnessed a series of bloody blasts on Thursday adding to a prevailing dramatic atmosphere with burial of more than 60 civilians who lost their lives in a fiery blast that ripped through a popular market the day before.
The government, meanwhile, expressed dismay at silence of Arab and Muslim quarters vis-a-vis the new wave of bloody aggression on the state, apparently intended to scuttle efforts to restore normal life to the long-tormented nation.
Today's random violence began at 10:30 a.m., when explosives blew up at a parking lot southwest of the city, killing two civilians and wounding 12 others. Police said the explosives were planted on the sidewalk of the crowded parking lot.
Policemen helped in whisking the casualties to Al-Yarmouk Hospital and sealed off the scene.
Thirty minutes later, police reported that another explosion took place in the district of Al-Baladiat in eastern Baghdad, killing one civilian and wounding three others. And, in Al-Jihad neighborhood in western Baghdad, a bomb planted at a billiard hall blew up killing one civilian and wounding five others.
Two policemen were seriously wounded in an explosion that occurred at Al-Karradah district, and in Al-Saidiah, four Iraqis were wounded in a blast on a road. Two bombs went off almost simultaneously near the people's international stadium setting an American humvee jeep alight. And in the district of Al-Orfali in Al-Sadr suburbs, two civilians were critically wounded as a result of a blast of a bomb.
The new wave of bloody attacks have also involved ordnance other than bombs or explosives. Three mortar shells slammed into Abu Nawwas Street oppostite the "green zone" in the capital.
Thunderous sound of the series of blasts echoed throughout the city while citizens held a funeral for 60 people who died in a blast of a motorcycle rigged with explosives at a popular market in Al-Sadr city yesterday.
The grieving Iraqis vented their anger against the American forces, chanting slogans against the American role in the country and calling for greater protection of the popular markets.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki called on Arab and Muslim nations to declare a decisive stance against the new onslaught of bombing attacks throughout the country. "Silence toward these genocides cannot be borne any longer," he said.
"With approach of June 30, the date for the scheduled withdrawal of the American forces from the cities, anger of the inciters of the sectarian discords increases," he said in part.
He accused the "the Baathist-Takfiri" alliance, that is supported from abroad, of being behind the spate of deadly attacks taking place in Iraq nowadays.
The term takfiri is often used by some Arab quarters in reference to hard-line Islamic groups that accuse Muslims who do not adopt their rules as infidels. (pickup previous) mhg.rk KUNA 251521 Jun 09NNNN