Violence in Iraq continues as more bombs are set off in that country.

A series of bomb attacks have struck around the middle-eastern country of Iraq today. At least 17 people have been killed in the attacks.

The deadliest of the attacks took place in the northern province of Kirkuk. Four bombs were ignited there killing ten people and injuring dozens. The first attack took place near the offices of the Kurdish political party. The blast came from a parked car. After police and rescuers arrived on the scene and were working in the area, a second car bomb was set off killing fivve members of a security unit.

One hour later, another car bomb hit an Iraqi Army patrol to the west of the city of Kirkuk at Hawija. That blast killed five and wounded four.

A car bomb in Baghdad went off during heavy morning rush hour, That blast, near the Ishtar Sheraton Hotel, killed one and wounded ten.

South of Baghdad, in the village of Hillah, a bomb was set off in a busy marketplace. That explosion killed six and wounded 42.

These newest attacks took place just prior to the holy month of Muharram, or the start of the Islamic New Year. The first ten days of that observance commemorates the martyrdom of the Prophet Muhammad’s grandson who was killed in the battle of Karbala in 680 A.D.

Although no one has stepped forward and claimed responsibilty for the attacks, it is widely believed that the attacks were coordinated by a minority Sunni group.