A pair of suicide car bombings Sunday devastated the heart of Iraq's capital, killing at least 147 people in the country's deadliest attack in more than two years. The bombs targeted two government buildings. The dead included 35 employees at the Ministry of Justice and at least 25 staff members of the Baghdad Provincial Council, said police and medical officials. At least 721 people were wounded, including three American contractors. The street where the blasts occurred had just been reopened to vehicle traffic six months ago. Iraq's Prime Minister Nuri Al-Maliki visited the blast site, where he spoke to officials. The attacks occurred just hours before Iraq's top leadership was scheduled to meet with heads of political parties in order to reach a compromise on election guidelines needed to hold the January vote. US President Barack Obama, who earlier this week reaffirmed the US's commitment to withdrawing its troops from the country, called Al-Maliki to offer his condolences. There have been no claims of responsibility so far, but massive car bombs have been the hallmark of the insurgents seeking to overthrow the country's Shiite-dominated government. Baghdad has accused members of the outlawed Baath Party of being behind another series of deadly bombings in August that also targeted government buildings. Al-Maliki blamed Sunday's attacks on Baathists and Al-Qaeda. Black smoke billowed from the frantic scene, as emergency service vehicles sped to the area. “The walls collapsed and we had to run out,” said Yasmeen Afdhal, 24, an employee of the Baghdad provincial administration, which runs the city. “There are many wounded, and I saw them being taken away.” US troops were also called in at the request of the Iraqi government to help secure the area, deal with any explosive material and offer forensics personnel to assist in the investigation, said a military spokesman, Maj. Dave Shoupe. Three American security contractors working for the US Embassy in Baghdad were injured in the blasts, said Philip Frayne, an embassy spokesman. On the streets of Baghdad, many Iraqis were angry at what they described as a lapse in security and wary about what will happen when US forces leave.
