Wave of Car Bombs Kills at Least Nine in Baghdad

Five car bombs hit Baghdad on Wednesday morning, killing at least nine people, Iraqi police and medical sources said.

Most of the bombs targeted Shiite-majority areas of the Iraqi capital.

It is the latest in a wave of increased nationwide violence that has sparked concern that Iraq is teetering on the edge of a return to the brutal all-out sectarian war that left tens of thousands dead in 2006 and 2007.

Security forces have carried out wide-ranging operations in recent weeks in a bid to combat the unrest, arresting hundreds of alleged militants and killing dozens of others.

Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has vowed to press on with the anti-insurgent campaign, but analysts say the government should focus on resolving anger in the Sunni Arab community over perceived ill-treatment by the Shiite-led authorities and security forces.