Iraq's al Qaeda claims responsibility for deadly Eid attacks

Baghdad: An al Qaeda group in Iraq on Monday claimed responsibility for a series of deadly bomb and gunfire attacks across Iraq during the Eid al-Adha holiday, reported Xinhua.

The self-styled Islamic State of Iraq (ISI), the al Qaeda front in the country, confirmed in a statement posted on an Islamic website that the attacks "have conveyed a quick message" to the Shia government and its followers that they will pay a high price and will not enjoy peace unless they stop random arrests against the Sunni community.

It said the security forces of the Shia government "have carried out recently a series of immoral and cowardly acts to arrest Sunni women to force their wanted relatives to turn themselves in, or blackmail their parents by fabricating charges against them".

"Such acts have increased recently, including arresting women from certain clans in south of Baghdad," the statement said.

The authenticity of the statement could not be immediately verified.

So far some 42 people have been killed and 122 wounded in the recent wave of insurgent attacks across the country over the four-day Eid al-Adha holiday.

Such deadly attacks are apparent attempts by the insurgent groups to stir up sectarian strife among Iraqis to push the country to the brink of a civil war, amid persistent political divisions that have already paralyzed the country's government.

IANS