Iraq rocked by a series of deadly bomb attacks At least 44 people have been killed in a series of bomb blasts in towns and cities across Iraq, including the capital Baghdad. Dozens more were injured. The most deadly attack happened in the southern city of Hilla when two car bombs exploded outside a restaurant reportedly frequented by police officers. Twenty-two people lost their lives in the blast. At least 18 people were killed when four bombs exploded in Baghdad. Shi'ite pilgrims had been gathering there for a major religious festival. Wednesday marks the anniversary of Shia imam Moussa al Kadhim, a great grandson of the prophet Muhammad. Another person died and 25 were injured following three explosions in the northen oil-rich town of Kirkuk. Although violence has fallen in Iraq over the past few years, bombings are still a regular occurrence. They are often blamed on Islamist insurgents seeking to stoke the sectarian tensions that almost drove the country to civil war five years ago.