US condemns deadly attacks in Iraq

WASHINGTON - The United States on Monday strongly condemned the spate of attacks across Iraq in the past two days, the deadliest in the country since the withdrawal of US troops late last year.

"The targeting of innocents is always cowardly. It's particularly reprehensible during this holy month of Ramadan," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland told reporters at a regular news briefing.

Al-Qaida is suspected of being behind the attacks that swept Baghdad, Kirkuk and other cities on Monday, killing some 80 people and wounding more than 200 others.

And more than 100 people were killed or injured in the attacks in Iraq a day earlier, just as Iraq is observing the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

"The issue here is the horrific tactics of al-Qaida in Iraq, who, during this month of Ramadan, are making desperate efforts to call on Sunnis to turn against their government, to assassinate judges and investigators, and to, in general, turn against all of these democratic institutions," Nuland said.

She said Washington continues to provide "appropriate security support" to the Iraqis based on their requests in terms of equipping and training, though American troops withdrew in December last year following years of bloody war.

"But in general, the position of the Iraqi government is that they want to be responsible for their own security, that they are up to the task of dealing with these kinds of things," Nuland added.

White House spokesman Jay Carney also strongly condemned the attacks, acknowledging "There is no question that Iraq remains a violent place."

He also defended President Barack Obama's decision to pull out US troops out of Iraq.