At least seven people have been killed and 21 others injured in bomb attacks on two mosques in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad.Police sources say the bombs were planted at the entrance to the mosques and went off as worshippers were leaving following the Friday Prayers.
Explosions hit al-Tawheed mosque in Baghdad's southern district of Dora and Shanshal mosque in the northwestern al-Jihad neighborhood.
Bombings near Shia and Sunni mosques have killed and injured scores of Iraqis over the past months.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attacks on mosques, but Iraqi al-Qaeda, which frequently carries out coordinated bombings against such civilian targets as mosques, markets and restaurants, is believed to be behind the attacks.
The terrorist group primarily targets Shias, security forces and government officials, but it has in the past also struck Sunni targets in a bid to push the country into sectarian fighting.
Violence has surged across Iraq in recent months, reaching its highest level since 2008. Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has said that attacks in Iraq aimed to "reignite sectarian strife" and divide the country.
According to the United Nations, more than 5,000 people have been killed in acts of violence so far this year in Iraq, 800 of them in August alone with Baghdad province worst hit.
July was Iraq's deadliest month in five years with 1,057 people killed and 2,326 wounded in terrorist attacks. Over 700 people are reported to be killed in September.
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees has expressed concern about growing violence in Iraq, warning that the new spate of attacks would result in further internal displacement of civilians.
The world body put the number of displaced Iraqis by this years bombings and other attacks at about 5,000, with people mostly fleeing from Baghdad into Anbar and Salahuddin provinces.
By Press TV
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