Over 40 killed, 200 wounded in Basra blasts

More than 40 people were killed and 200 others wounded in a series of explosions in Iraq's southern city of Basra early Wednesday, CNN reported.

The report also cited witnesses on the scene as saying that 55 bodies have been recovered.

At least three near-simultaneous car bombings hit three police stations in Basra during rush hour Wednesday morning, the British military was quoted by CNN as saying.

"There were three separate explosions at police stations at about 7:15 a.m. (0315 GMT)," said John Arnold, a British military spokesman.

It is not immediately known whether the attacks were suicide bombings, Arnold added.

Local Iraqis threw stones at the British troops who tried to reach the blast sites, CNN said.

The British military confirmed that two school buses were destroyed in the blasts, causing heavy casualties among children, CNN added.

Source: Xinhua