Wave of Baghdad blasts kills at least 75
August 19, 2009 by SINAN SALAHEDDIN
BAGHDAD – A truck bomb tore through Iraq's Foreign Ministry Wednesday, knocking out concrete slabs and windows and leaving a mass of charred cars outside as a wave of explosions around Baghdad killed at least 75 people.
It was the deadliest day in the capital since U.S. troops largely withdrew from cities on June 30 and a major challenge to Iraqi control of Baghdad. A steady escalation of attacks this month has sparked fears of a resurgence of violence ahead of next year's national elections.
The deadliest of the attacks hit near the Foreign Ministry, killing at least 59 people and wounding 250. Officials said the toll may climb as rescue workers dig through rubble and debris. The ministry is just outside the Green Zone, the most heavily protected part of the capital. The officials all spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to release the information.
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