Iraq: The Iraqi Interior Ministry has said the country faces an open war fuelled by Iraq’s sectarian divisions. In a statement, it underlined the challenges before the nation and said, security has been ramped up in Baghdad by closing roads, putting barriers ,setting up more checkpoints and sending out frequent helicopter patrols. The steps come in the wake of a dozen car bomb blasts within the space of an hour in hour in Shiite neighborhoods markets, busy shopping streets cafes , parks and mosques yesterday where families had gathered in large numbers to celebrate Eid holidays.

The death toll in serial car bomb explosions has gone up to 80 while more than 210 people have been injured.57 people lost their lives in and around the capital Baghdad in apparently coordinated attacks. Outside Baghdad, a suicide bomber detonated a bomb in a car on a busy street in the town of Tuz Khurmato killing at least 10 people and wounding 45 others. In Nassiriya town, twin car bombs near a park killed six people and wounded 25. Car bombs also hit Karbala, killing four and wounding 11, and targeted a Shi’ite mosque in the northern city of Kirkuk, killing one worshipper and wounding five people.