BAQUBA, Iraq, March 3 (UPI) -- More than 30 people were killed in coordinated bombings in Iraq, a series of attacks apparently timed to influence Sunday's parliamentary elections.
Two car bombs were detonated Wednesday near government offices in Baquba north of Baghdad and a third attack hit the hospital where the dozens of injured from the first bombings were taken for treatment.
The carnage was the worst single incident in the country in some time but officials had warned militants would likely carry out attacks ahead of Election Day. Iraqi forces have increased security operations but violence has been increasing in recent weeks, with many relatively small-scale attacks.
Iraq has countrywide parliamentary elections scheduled for Sunday. It is the second such election since Saddam Hussein was ousted as the Iraqi leader seven years ago.
As before, sectarian lines are being drawn with former members Saddam's long-ruling but since banned Baath Party, who are affiliated with Sunni Islam, being pitted against Shiites who were oppressed by the Baath Party but, as they are the Iraqi majority, now rule the country.
No group claimed responsibility for Wednesday's attacks but the bombings carried the hallmark of tactics used in recent strikes by al-Qaida in Iraq.
