Iraq: At least 40 dead in a series of explosions in Baghdad

Baghdad - A coordinated series of explosions rocked the Iraqi capital this morning, killing at least 40 people and injuring 130. The Interior Ministry said the bombs exploded in 13 areas of the city. Two of them were detonated in the street, in the District of Halawa, and killed four people, a car-bomb exploded in Karrada district, breaking the windows of houses and a school in the district.

It is not yet clear who the instigators of the attacks are. The country is in a period of transition after the departure of the last contingent of U.S. troops, which took place days ago. At the same time, there are growing signs of rupture within the government, formed last year with great difficulty.

Vice President Tariq al-Hashemi, of the Sunni party-Iraqiyya, has been accused of supporting terrorism. To protest the whole group of al-Iraqiyya is boycotting the parliament and accuse the Prime Minister al-Maliki, a Shiite, of wanting to monopolize power.

Hashemi denies the charges against him and has for now taken refuge in Erbil, in Kurdistan, under the protection of the regional government. Maliki has asked that he be brought to justice.