国际英语新闻：Iraq sees bloodiest day this year as nationwide attacks kill at least 91

Meanwhile, two bombs went off at a crowded popular market close to a Shiite mosque in Wasit Province, killing at least eight and injuring more than 70.

In Anbar Province, four people died and 20 others were wounded early Monday in a series of bomb attacks, which hit houses of families who have some of their members working in the Iraqi security forces.

Two Kurdish Peshmerga fighters were killed and four others wounded in Mosul, capital of northern Nineveh Province, when a suicide bomber drove his explosive-laden car into a checkpoint in the Kokajli area.

In southern Basra, at least 19 people were killed and dozens wounded Monday afternoon in three explosions.

Seven others were killed in other minor attacks across the country.

"These attacks came in response to the killings by Iraqi forces of al-Qaida leaders -- Abu Omar al-Baghdadi and Abu Ayyub al-Masri last month," said Sabah al-Shiekh, professor of politics at Baghdad University.

"The way of carrying out attacks in different parts of the country gives the impression that al-Qaida is behind them," he said.

" Al-Qaida wants to send a message that they still exist in Iraq and can carry out deadly attacks," said the analyst, stressing that Iraq's security forces should continue high vigilance against more possible attacks.

Monday's massive attacks came after Iraq's stalled political process began to move forward, as the country's electoral authorities announced Sunday they would send the initial poll results to the Supreme Court for ratification except those of Baghdad, where a recount is underway over alleged fraud.

On May 4, Iraq's two major Shiite parties, the State of Law alliance led by incumbent Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and the Iraqi National Alliance formed a coalition. With 159 seats, the new alliance became the largest in the 325-member parliament and got more chances of forming the new government.

The merging dealt a heavy blow to former Prime Minister Ayad Allawi's Iraqia List, which took the most seats with 91 in the elections. The Sunni-backed secular bloc has not found major partners to set up a coalition.

Observers said if the Iraqia List is excluded from the new government, Iraq's minority Sunnis will feel politically marginalized again, potentially prompting a return to sectarian violence which peaked in 2006 and 2007 in the country.