Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki appointed current Culture Minister Saadoun Al-Dailami as Acting Defense Minister, after 74 Iraqis got killed in a series of bomb blasts.

Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki is also Defense Minister and Acting Interior Minister.

The attacks, in which more than 238 people were also injured, took place in more than a dozen cities across Iraq on Monday.

This was the worst single incident of violence in Iraq since July 5, when twin suicide attacks killed 35 people in a town north of Baghdad.

Violence in Iraq has declined from its peak in 2006 and 2007, but attacks remain common. A total of 259 Iraqis were killed in attacks in July, the second-highest figure for 2011.

The surge of violence raises questions over the capabilities of Iraq’s forces after its leaders agreed to open talks with the US over a military training mission to last beyond a projected year-end American withdrawal.

 

Source: BNA; AFP