Baghdad car bombs kill 33, dozens injured

A series of at seven car bombs hit Iraq's capital city Thursday killing 33 and leaving dozens injured.

The wave of attacks hit several neighborhoods in Baghdad, targeting a bus station, shopping areas, day laborers, a police patrol and an auto mechanic, mostly in Shiite neighborhoods or in one case, near the fortified Green Zone where government offices and some foreign embassies are located.

The attacks took place at nearly the same time across the city, during rush hour.

Although no one has claimed responsibility for the bombings, the attacks come just a day after Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki publicly promised to continue targeting insurgents, saying the Iraq government will "never give up confronting terrorism."

Despite tightening security following two daring jailbreaks in July, the measures haven't helped Iraqi forces halt the attacks.

Since an April security crackdown on a Sunni protest camp, more than 3,000 have been killed in recent violence. Militant groups, including al Qaeda have increased violent attacks in opposition to against Iraq's Shiite-led government.

Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari will be in Washington Thursday to discuss the situation, and the U.S. has said it will work with the Iraqi government to fight al Qaeda.