Iraqis began burying the victims of two suicide bombings in Karbala and Ramadi Friday, as hundreds of Shiites protested the ongoing violence during a march through the streets of Baghdad.
Thursday's suicide bombings, which claimed the lives of at least 115 Iraqis, represent the worst outbreak of violence since elections in December. One of the attacks happened at a police recruitment center in the western town of Ramadi.
Hundreds of Shi'ites marched through Baghdad today, denouncing insurgents blamed for the violence.
The burial services came as British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw made an unannounced visit to British troops stationed in the southern city of Basra. Officials say the purpose of Mr. Straw's trip was to assess the situation on the ground since the elections.
Meanwhile, U.S. military officials in Iraq say 11 troops were killed in insurgent violence on Thursday. Two soldiers died when a bomb struck their patrol north of Baghdad. Two others were killed in a suicide bombing on the police recruits. In yet another attack, two Marines were killed in the western city of Fallujah.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP and AP.
