United Nations Radio

The UN Secretary-General's Special Representative for Iraq, Staffan de Mistura (photo) has strongly condemned the series of bombings in Baghdad today.~~

The explosions in the Iraqi capital killed and injured a number of innocent civilians heading to work.

Some reports put the number of casualties in the eastern part of Baghdad at 13 and in the heavily guarded Green Zone at five.

The UN envoy notes with great concern that there has been a spike in violence in Baghdad.

He stresses that there are no moral or political excuses that could possibly justify the deliberate targeting of innocent citizens whose only crime was to try to get to their place of work.

Mr. de Mistura urges all parties in Iraq to deny those behind such attacks the opportunity to undermine efforts to increase the country's fragile stability.

Diane Bailey, United Nations

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