Ten car bombs exploded across the Iraqi capital on Monday, killing nearly 40 people in markets and garages on the evening of a Shia Muslim celebration, police and medical sources said.
   
Some of the attacks targeted districts where Shias were commemorating the anniversary of the birth of the revered Imam of Era, Imam Mahdi.

But there also were explosions in mixed neighbourhoods and districts with a high population of Sunnis.   

Eight people were killed in two car bomb explosions in the central district of Karada, one of them in a car garage. Two car bombs exploded simultaneously near a market in the western district of Jihad, killing eight.   

Separately, a bomb placed in a cafe in the northern city of Mosul killed five people, pushing Monday's death toll to around 40.

Militants, including al-Qaeda-affiliates, have increased their terror attacks recently.