Suicide bombers struck Iraq today just days before a national election, killing 33 people and wounding 55 as the war-scarred nation seeks to cement its frail democracy before a US troop pullout.
The parliamentary poll on Sunday is viewed as pivotal for Iraq as US forces prepare to end combat operations in August ahead of a full withdrawal by end-2011, and Iraq starts to lure foreign investors in an effort to rebuild.
The bombings could damage the campaign of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, who has partly based his hopes of re-election on improved security throughout Iraq.
US and Iraqi officials say attacks by suspected Sunni Islamist insurgents are aimed at undermining his Shia-led government.
Sporadic political violence and assassinations have marred the immediate run-up to the election, especially in Baghdad and the western province of Anbar.
But until today the campaign had not seen major assaults by suicide bombers like those that devastated public buildings and hotels in Baghdad in January, December, October and August.
Police said the first two attackers drove explosives-packed cars at police stations in the centre and west of the turbulent city of Baquba, 65km northeast of Baghdad.
The third assailant rode in an ambulance from one of the first blast sites to the city's main hospital, where he detonated his bomb as casualties from the earlier explosions were ferried there.
"He was disguised as a wounded person. He was wearing a camouflage uniform. He blew himself up when he got out of the ambulance at the entrance of the hospital," police spokesman Major Ghalib al-Jubouri said.
The bomber had tried to target the provincial police chief, who had been visiting the hospital, but security guards stopped him. Many people were killed or wounded. More chaos erupted as the police chief's bodyguards shot randomly in the air.
At least 12 of the dead were police officers.
Reuters