Taji, the town with the worst attack, 41 people were killed (Creative Commons).

Insurgents set off car bombs, stormed a military base, attacked policemen in their homes and ambushed checkpoints across at least 13 cities, Iraqi authorities said.

From The Washington Post: 

The coordinated nature of the violence and the focus on multiple targets indicated that al-Qaeda in Iraq, the militant group responsible for hundreds of deaths in the country in recent years, may be behind the attacks.

This weekend, an audio statement was posted online by the current head of the group, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who ominously predicted a new series of attacks against the military and government in a plan he called “Breaking the Walls,” according to the Associated Press.

The blasts took place within a few hours of each other and struck mostly at security forces and government offices, the AP reported.

“It was a thunderous explosion,” Mohammed Munim said to the AP. 

Munim was working at an Interior Ministry office when a car exploded outside, killing 16 people. He was hit by shrapnel in his neck and back. Munim spoke to the news organization from a bed in the emergency room at Sadr City hospital. 

“The only thing I remember was the smoke and fire, which was everywhere.”

Read more of Neon Tommy’s coverage on Iraq here.

Reach Executive Producer Agnus Dei Farrant here.