Residents stand amid rubble at blast scene in Tuz Khormato town in northern Iraq, May 21, 2013. Photo: Reuters

At least 7 people were killed and 31 wounded on Sunday in Baghdad and Mosul. The first bombing occurred at a house in Shora town. There were no reported causalities. The second bomb exploded as an Iraqi security force was approaching killing 4 and wounding 30, including 9 soldiers and 14 policemen. The second bomb also destroyed some military vehicles and three nearby houses. Mosul city is an ethnic conflict hotspot in Iraq. Meanwhile in Baghdad, a gunman fired on a group of civilians, killing three people and wounding one. Violence in Iraq has fallen compared to 2006 and 2007, but there has been an average of 200 deaths each month this year. In May alone, 430 people were killed, bringing the total number of people killed in consecutive 2 months in Iraq to 800.