Six killed in Baghdad market bombings

BAGHDAD: Six people were killed and dozens wounded when two booby traps exploded in a popular Baghdad market during the busy Thursday morning shopping period, military and security sources said.   

The devices exploded in the Baab al-Sharki neighbourhood in the centre of the Iraqi capital, the sources said.   

Six people were killed on the spot while 35 people were wounded, they said, revising up an initial death toll of four.   

Meanwhile, north of Baghdad, two Iraqi soldiers were killed when a booby trap exploded on the highway between the oil refinery depot of Baiji and Saddam Hussein's hometown of Tikrit, said the local Iraqi-US coordination centre.   

Another three soldiers were wounded in the explosion, which destroyed an Iraqi military vehicle, the source said.   

The White House has warned that it expects the execution of Saddam, who on December 26 was ordered hanged for crimes against humanity within 30 days, to trigger a wave of reprisals from his supporters in Iraq.