Winks Blog

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BAGHDAD - A suicide bomber breached Baghdad's heavy security presence again Thursday, killing a dozen people in a mostly Shiite district a day after more than 230 people died in one of the war's deadliest episodes of violence.

Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki called the violence in Baghdad an "open battle" _ nine weeks into a U.S.-led effort began to pacify the capital's streets.

Thursday's bomber struck within half a mile of Iraqi President Jalal Talabani's home in the mostly Shiite Karradah district where one of Wednesday's bombs exploded. Talabani was not believed to have been the target.

The bombing killed at least 12 people and wounded 34, police said. Two Iraqi soldiers were among the fatalities.

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