Bombs Across Iraq Kill 63 Pilgrims

A series of coordinated car bombs went off in at least five Iraqi cities today, killing 63 people in one of the deadliest attacks since US forces left the country. The blasts appeared to be the third attack this week targeting Shiite pilgrims en route to the Baghdad neighborhood of Kazimiyah to commemorate the anniversary of the death of a Shiite saint buried there, the AP reports.

Baghdad itself was the worst hit, with four blasts killing 25 and wounding more than 70. A Baghdad military spokesman said the attacks were intended to rekindle Sunni/Shiite tensions, "but Iraqis are fully aware of the terrorism agenda and will not slip into sectarian conflict." (More Iraq stories.)