Up to 64 people killed in Baghdad spate of bombings
"The toll compiled by the health ministry is 64 killed and 360 wounded, most of whom received medical treatment and left the hospitals, only 86 stayed," the state-run television of Iraqia quoted the Minister of Health Salih al-Hasnawi as saying.
Earlier, an Interior Ministry source had put the toll at 57 people killed and 248 wounded.
More than 12 car bomb explosions and roadside bombings Tuesday struck several of Baghdad districts, including Khadhimiya, Zuhour, Ur, Sadr City, Bayaa, Shula, Ghazaliyah, Jihad and Yarmouk districts, the unnamed source said.
Despite tight security measures on Wednesday, Baghdad is calm and the streets are almost empty as most families preferred to stay at home and some prevent their children from attending school, waiting for the tension sparked by last night's blasts to calm down.
Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said Sunday's attack on a Baghdad church and the string of explosions on Tuesday night were attempt by the terrorists and former members of Saddam Hussien's Baath party to provoke sectarian strife, which were designed to halt the forming of a new government.
In the Sunni province of Salahudin, provincial authorities ordered highest alert for its security forces following Baghdad deadly bombing, a provincial police source said.
The troops carried out preemptive operations across the province since late Tuesday, arresting 96 suspects for interrogation, the source added.
On Sunday, gunmen wearing explosive vests and armed with grenades and assault rifles detonated a car bomb near the Iraqi security forces and attacked the church in Karrada, holding some 100 hostages inside.
About three hours later, Iraqi security forces stormed the church and freed the hostages after fierce fighting with the gunmen, leaving 58 people killed including two priests, and other 75 injured. Kazinform cites Xinhua. See www.xinhuanet.com for full version
