Bomb blasts strike Iraqi cities

A series of car bombs killed at least 14 people across Iraq early on Wednesday.

The deadliest explosion took place in the ethnically-mixed city of Kirkuk, 155 miles north of Baghdad - the car bomb killed nine people and wounded 30, according to a police source.

In the southern city of Hilla at least four were killed in another car bomb.

Officials said young students were killed in the blast, which went off outside a secondary school for girls.

A third blast detonated in central Baghdad, killing a passerby and wounding nine others.

The attack allegedly targeted an Interior Ministry official, but was unsuccessful.

The strikes come a day before a Muslim festival to mark the Islamic New Year.

The holiday lands on the first day of the holy month of Muharram, which is of special significance to Shi'ite Muslims - often the target of Sunni Islamist insurgents.

While the regularity of violent attacks in Iraq has considerably diminished since sectarian fighting peaked half a decade ago, insurgents have lately been carrying out large-scale, monthly coordinated attacks.

The strikes often consist of a large number of bomb attacks in cities across Iraq that go off at around the same time.