Two car explosions and a suicide bomber have killed at least 40 people outside a textile factory, taking the day's death toll to 75, Iraq's bloodiest day of the year so far.
A spokesman for the Babil provincial police, Maj. Muthana Khalid, said a man with explosives strapped to his belt detonated himself on Monday outside the factory in Hillah where a crowd was trying to help victims of two earlier car bombs. He said at least 135 were wounded in the triple blasts.
Dr. Zuhair al Khafaji, director of al-Hillah general hospital, confirmed the casualties.
Hillah, Babil's provincial capital, is 95 km south of Baghdad.
The bombings were the latest in a series of deadly blasts and drive-by shootings in Baghdad and across the country.