Wave of Baghdad blasts kills at least 25

A series of bombings mainly targeting Shi'ite-majority areas of the Iraqi capital has killed at least 25 people, officials say.

The six car bombings and one roadside bomb hit seven different areas of Baghdad on Saturday, also wounding more than 85 people.

The attacks came as security forces battled militants in the northern city of Mosul in clashes that killed 59 people.

And in Ramadi, west of Baghdad, militants took hundreds of students and staff hostage at a university, sparking an assault led by special forces to free them.

Violence is running at its highest levels since 2006-2007, when tens of thousands were killed in sectarian conflict between Iraq's Shi'ite majority and Sunni Arab minority.

More than 900 people were killed last month, according to figures separately compiled by the United Nations and the government.

So far this year, more than 4300 people have been killed.

Officials blame external factors for the rising bloodshed, particularly the civil war in neighbouring Syria.

But analysts say widespread Sunni Arab anger with the Shi'ite-led government has also been a major factor.