Baghdad bomb blasts leave 36 dead

Three bomb explosions in quick succession have rocked central Baghdad on Monday, leaving at least 36 people killed and 70 others injured.

Baghdad’s hotel and restaurant district located along the Tigris River was the target of the attacks, Reuters reported.

The first bomb was detonated at about 3:40 p.m. local time on Monday near the Ishtar Sheraton Hotel located in the east side of the Tigris River.

The other two explosions targeted Babylon Hotel and al-Hamra Hotel which frequently accommodate foreign journalists in the Iraqi capital, an official said.

Iraq has been witnessing violence-related incidents nearly on a daily basis since the 2003 US-led invasion of the oil-rich country.