Two bombs kill 37 and wound 54 in Sunni town

A CAR packed with explosives and a roadside bomb went off back-to-back outside a government building north of Baghdad yesterday, killing 37 people and wounding at least 54.

The twin blast in Taji, a Sunni-dominated town about 12 miles from the Iraqi capital, was the latest in a series of attacks across Iraq.

A policeman at the scene who gave the name Abu Haider said: "It was awful … some of the lightly wounded people were running in all directions, either crying or screaming for help."

Burned bodies were lying on the ground and about 20 cars were on fire, witnesses said.

The car bomb was detonated around noon in the car park of Taji's local council building. When security forces arrived at the scene, the second bomb was detonated.

Iraqi army soldiers later sealed off the area, keeping four ambulances waiting to take away the wounded.

Vice president Tariq al-Hashemi, a Sunni politician, demanded that Shia premier Nouri al-Maliki quickly appoint defences and interior ministers to deal with growing chaos among the security forces.

The two senior posts have been vacant for more than six months as officials squabble over which parties should hold them. Mr al-Hashemi said: "The security system needs to be or fixed as soon as possible."

Parliamentary speaker Osama al-Nujaifi, another Sunni, lashed out at security forces, saying they were not doing enough.

While violence in Iraq is less intense now than during sectarian fighting in 2006 and 2007, militants have again stepped up attacks, prompting concerns about what will happen when the 47,000 remaining US troops pull out by the end of this year.