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Car Bomb Kills 10 in Iraqi Capital


A car bomb has exploded in a mainly Shi'ite neighborhood in Iraq's capital, killing at least 10 people and wounding 31 others.

The blast Tuesday hit the New Baghdad area during the morning rush hour.

The attack comes a day after a series of blasts in Iraq killed at least 20 people, including 11 at a Shi'ite mosque in the same neighborhood as Tuesday's bombing.

Iraq has been struggling to cope with a surge in violence this year that has left more than 10,000 people dead, while militants from the Islamic State group have taken control of wide areas in the northern and western part of the country.

The United States and other nations have stressed the importance of Iraq installing a new government that represents Iraq's minorities as a key part in restoring stability.

On Monday, U.S. Vice President Joe Biden said Iraq has made political progress that has generated greater support from the region and the world.

Biden also reiterated in a phone call Monday with Iraqi Prime Minister-designate Haider al-Abadi that forming a new government is an "integral component" of Iraq's battle against militants from the Islamic State group.

The White House said Abadi told Biden that he intends to quickly form an inclusive, power-sharing government to replace that of Nouri al-Maliki.

Earlier Monday, Abadi called for all militias and tribes in Iraq to come under state control and stop operating independently.

Iraq has been struggling to cope with surge by Sunni militants who have taken control of large areas in the northern and western parts of the country.

U.N. Human rights chief Navi Pillay has condemned what she called "appalling, widespread and systematic" abuses by the militants from the Islamic State group.

In a statement Monday, Pillay said the group is committing "grave, horrific human rights violations" every day that amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The militants have killed hundreds of minority Yazidi and captured thousands of others as slaves.

The jihadist group last week released a videotaped showing the brutal beheading of James Foley, an American journalist taken captive in Syria in 2012.

Pillay said the U.N. also has verified reports that the Islamic Group killed 670 detainees from a prison it took control of in June.

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