Blasts target churches in Iraq

Car bombs exploded outside at least five Christian churches in Iraq yesterday, killing at least ten people and wounding many more in an apparently coordinated attack timed to coincide with evening prayers.

Ministry source said there had been four blasts at churches in Baghdad and two in the northern city of Mosul. Police in Mosul said they knew of just one church attack there.

The Vatican condemned the blasts echoing concerns among Iraqis that they aimed to inflame religious tensions.

In the deadliest attack, a suicide car bomber drove into the car park at a Chaldean church in southern Baghdad before detonating his vehicle, killing at least 12 people as worshippers left the building, witnesses said.

A US military spokesman said three of the four attacks in Baghdad were known to be suicide car bombings.

An explosion at the Armenian church in Baghdad shattered stained glass windows and hurled chunks of hot metal.

Another bomb exploded about 15 minutes later outside the nearby Assyrian church, where medics dragged a man from a car, his arm almost torn off.

In Mosul, officials said at least one person was killed in a blast at a church and 15 wounded.

Earlier, a suicide car bomber blew up his vehicle outside a police station in Mosul, killing at least five and wounding 53 in the latest strike against Iraqi security forces.