TWO CAR BOMBS STRUCK A DISTRICT IN BAGHDAD ON MONDAY, KILLING AT LEAST EIGHT PEOPLE AND WOUNDING DOZENS, OFFICIALS SAID, AS SECTARIAN TENSIONS ROSE FOLLOWING A RAMPAGE BY SOME GUNMEN KILLED 41 PEOPLE. THE VIOLENCE BEGAN WHEN A CAR PARKED NEAR A REPAIR SHOP ON THE EDGE OF THE SLUM OF SADR CITY BLEW UP, FOLLOWED WITHIN MINUTES BY A SUICIDE CAR BOMBER WHO DROVE INTO THE CROWD THAT HAD GATHERED NEAR THE SITE. HOSPITAL OFFICIALS SAID AT LEAST EIGHT PEOPLE WERE KILLED AND 41 WOUNDED IN THE BLAST. AP TELEVISION NEWS FOOTAGE SHOWED THE DEVASTATED REPAIR SHOP WITH A CRUMPLED ROOF AND THE BLACKENED HULKS OF CARS ON THE STREET OUTSIDE. A ROADSIDE BOMB ALSO STRUCK A POLICE PATROL NEAR A RESTAURANT ELSEWHERE IN EASTERN BAGHDAD, WOUNDING THREE POLICEMEN, POLICE LT. AHMED QASSIM SAID. AND A BOMB EXPLODED IN THE SHURJA MARKET IN CENTRAL BAGHDAD, KILLING THREE PEOPLE AND WOUNDING 18, POLICE COL. ADNAN AL-OBEIDI SAID. IN KIRKUK, A SUICIDE TRUCK BOMB STRUCK AN OFFICE OF THE PATRIOTIC UNION OF KURDISTAN, ONE OF THE MAIN KURDISH POLITICAL PARTIES IN IRAQ, KILLING FIVE PEOPLE AND WOUNDING 12 OTHERS, POLICE BRIG. SARHAT QADIR SAID. A POLICE PATROL IN HILLAH CITY, ABOUT 95 KILOMETERS (60 MILES) SOUTH OF BAGHDAD, ALSO HIT A ROADSIDE BOMB, LEAVING ONE POLICEMAN DEAD AND FOUR WOUNDED, ARMY CAPT. HASSIM AL-KHAFAJI SAID.
