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At Least 11 Killed in Central Iraq Bomb Attacks

   VOA News 24 December 2009
   Map of Hillah in Iraq

   Officials  say  the first bomb went off Thursday near a bus station in
   the  town  of  Hillah.  A  second device exploded as emergency workers
   rushed  to  the  scene.  One  of  those killed was an Iraqi provincial
   council member.
   In  other  violence,  a bomb exploded at a restaurant near the central
   town of Kerbala, wounding several people.
   On Wednesday, a series of bomb attacks targeted Christians and Shi'ite
   Muslims  preparing  to  observe  coinciding  holidays,  killing  eight
   people.
   In  one attack, a bomb exploded near a historic church in the northern
   city  of Mosul a day before Christmas Eve. The blast killed two Muslim
   passersby.
   Iraq's  government  has  said  it is increasing security in areas with
   significant  Christian populations after receiving reports of possible
   attacks against the minority group during the Christmas holiday.
   In  Baghdad  Wednesday,  three  separate  bombings  targeting  Shi'ite
   worshipers  killed  at  least  six people and wounded about 40 others.
   Iraqi  Shi'ites  are preparing to observe the Ashura holiday on Sunday
   to  mourn  the  seventh-century killing of the grandson of the Prophet
   Muhammad.
   More  than  25,000  Iraqi  police  and  soldiers have been deployed to
   protect Shi'ite pilgrims, who have been targeted by Sunni militants in
   the past.

   Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.

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