Deadly bomb blasts hit Iraqi city

At least 14 people have been killed after several car and roadside bombs exploded in the northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk, police say.More than 30 people were reported hurt in the blasts, one of which was said to have occurred near two mosques.

The oil-rich, predominately Kurdish city lies about 290km (180 miles) north of the Iraqi capital, Baghdad.

It has often been hit by violence over the past three years. Last month, seven car bombs in a day killed five people.

A Kirkuk police commander, Brigadier Tarhan, told the BBC there had been eight explosions between 1330 and 1400 local time (1030-1100 GMT).

He said half the blasts had been car bombs and the remainder roadside devices.

Several Iraqi police officers are said to have been killed.

Insurgents have stepped up attacks in Kirkuk in recent months, amid rising sectarian tensions. Kurds, Arabs and Turkmens all claim ownership of the city and the oil-rich lands around it.

Earlier, police in Baghdad said a bomb had exploded near a Shia mosque, killing at least five people.

The attack happened in the Shorja district, which has been a frequent target of suspected Sunni Arab insurgents.

Meanwhile, a new survey paints a pessimistic picture of Iraqis’ confidence in their own government and in coalition forces.

Only 18% of Iraqis have confidence in US and coalition troops, while opinion is almost evenly split on whether to have confidence in Iraq’s government.

About 86% of the more than 2,000 people questioned expressed concern about someone in their household being a victim of violence.