Baghdad - A rush-hour car bomb attack at a Baghdad bus stop killed 21 people on Thursday as Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki warned that Al-Qaeda planned to launch attacks in neighbouring countries.
A parked car exploded next to commuters waiting at a bus stop in Baghdad's southern Al-Bayaa neighbourhood, killing 21 people and wounding 42, hospital and security officials said.
The targeted neighbourhood, a mixed area in southwest Baghdad, often sees clashes between Shiite militiamen and Sunni insurgents, and has been hit by several car bombs during Iraq's sectarian conflict.
Although the area lies in the mostly Sunni western half of the city, US commanders there say the Shi'a Mahdi Army militia maintains an intimidating presence and has driven many Sunnis from their homes.
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The evictions have brought retaliatory car bombs and an escalating cycle of violence, despite the increased presence of US and Iraqi forces following the launch of a Baghdad security crackdown in February.
The increased presence has failed to prevent continued communal bloodletting including car bombings.
A few hours after the blast at Bayaa, another car bomb went off near the Abu Jafar al-Mansur petrol station in the mostly Sunni Mansur neighbourhood as dozens of vehicles queued to fill their tanks.
Four people were killed and 10 wounded, security officials said.
Four members of a family, including three women, were killed when several mortar rounds struck their home in Baghdad's Al-Fadhel neighbourhood, witness Mohammed Saad said.
"Another man was wounded, with his legs blown off," he told AFP.
Insurgents led by Al-Qaeda have managed to carry out high-profile bombings in Iraq despite military sweeps across the country.
On Thursday, Maliki warned that Al-Qaeda planned to spread its "wide-ranging and dangerous plans" in neighbouring countries suffering from religious and sectarian conflicts.
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