Clashes erupted in two of Iraq's largest cities today while bomb attacks killed 21 in the capital, highlighting the precarious security situation as US and Iraqi forces try to stem sectarian violence.
British troops and a column of armoured personnel carriers rushed to Basra as armed gangs fought with Iraqi forces for more than an hour in the mainly Shia city, where Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki declared a state of emergency in June.
Police said they killed six insurgents in the religiously divided city of Mosul, 390 km (240 miles) north of Baghdad and the scene of heavy fighting 10 days ago when US and Iraqi soldiers took several hours to restore calm.
US officers warn Iraq could descend into civil war unless violence is curbed and last week thousands more US troops were poured into Baghdad to calm its restive neighbourhoods. Washington says the capital is key to stability in the entire country.
The new Shia-led government has promised to reconcile Iraq's rival sects but almost three months after Maliki took power, the bloodshed continues. Simultaneous car bombs killed 13 and hurt 43 on Tunis Street in a busy commercial area of central Baghdad, police said.
Earlier today, a roadside bomb in a small flea market in east Baghdad killed eight and wounded up to 28.
"The bomb exploded beside those people who were just here to earn their living. They were just selling junk," said Mohamed Karin, standing amid the scattered debris of old televisions and household utensils.
"An old man with his two kids were killed. What did they do? They were innocent," he said. Seven more were hurt by a pair of car bombs later on Wednesday in central Baghdad, police said.
Fighting in Basra began with an attack on the office of the governor and governing council. Basra Governor Mohamed Alwaili said they were mainly from the powerful Bani-Asad tribe and police sources said they were avenging the killing of a leader.