More than 100 killed in Iraq suicide attacks

About 110 people were killed in two suicide attacks in Iraq today.

In the first blast, a suicide bomber who detonated his explosives near one of Shiite Islam's holiest shrines killed about 80 people. The blast was near the Imam Hussein shrine in central Karbala, 50 miles south of Baghdad.

The bomber appeared to have set off the explosion only about 30 yards from the shrine, in a busy pedestrian area surrounded by shops.

Karbala has been relatively free of violence since December 2004, when seven people were killed and 31 wounded in an attack.

In March of that year, co-ordinated attacks from suicide bombers and pre-set explosions on Karbala's holy sites killed more than 100.

The second suicide attack killed at least 30 people and injuring another 40, police and hospital officials said.

The attack took place at a police screening center in Ramadi, 70 miles west of Baghdad. There were at least 30 people killed, said Mohammed al-Ani a doctor, at Ramadi General Hospital and police Capt. Nassir al-Alousi. The US military did not have a casualty figure, but said that a suicide bomb exploded at 10:55 a.m. (0755 GMT) near the Ramadi Glass and Ceramics Works "where screening for Iraqi Police Officers was taking place."