Three car bombs in Baghdad have killed at least 60 people in mainly Shi'ite areas - the first major attack since U.S. and Iraqi forces launched a new security crackdown in the Iraqi capital.
Another 100 people were injured in the explosions Sunday.
Officials say most of the casualties were caused by two blasts in an outdoor market in the New Baghdad district. A third car bomb exploded in the Sadr City area.
In other news, the U.S. military says two American soldiers were killed while on patrol in Baghdad.
Meanwhile, The New York Times says captured documents indicate that Iraqi insurgents have had a strategic plan since late last year to shoot down coalition helicopters. The newspaper reports that U.S. officials learned of the strategy to shoot down aircraft from documents allegedly written by the group al-Qaida in Iraq.
The Times quotes U.S. officials as saying attacks on coalition aircraft are likely to increase as U.S. forces expand their efforts to secure Baghdad.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
