Baghdad Shia neighbourhoods struck by blasts

A wave of explosions have rocked mainly Shia neighbourhoods in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, killing at least 23 people and wounding dozens, officials have said.

The attacks occured shortly after sunset on Monday, targeting crowded commercial areas near Shia mosques, as the country struggles with its worst violence in six years.

The deadliest attack took place in the eastern Ur neighborhood in north Baghdad where a car bombing killed at least 10 people and wounded 23 others, police said.

The Associated Press news agency reported that another car exploded in the central Karrada area, killing at least eight people and wounding 25 others, police added. One civilian was killed and seven were wounded in another explosion in the southwestern Amil neighborhood.

In the western Sunni neighborhood of Ghazaliyah, another car bomb ripped through a commercial area, killing four civilians and wounding 11 others, police said.

Two medical officials confirmed the causality figures. All officials spoke on condition of anonymity to AP.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attacks.

Iraq is experiencing a resurgence of violence to levels not seen since the worst of the country’s sectarian conflict began to subside in 2007.