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The Honolulu Advertiser

Updated at 9:29 a.m., Wednesday, April 18, 2007

4 bombings push up Iraq's death toll to high of 233

By STEVEN R. HURST and LAUREN FRAYER
Associated Press

BAGHDAD — Suspected Sunni insurgents penetrated the Baghdad security net Wednesday, hitting Shiite targets with four bomb attacks that killed 183 people — the bloodiest day since the U.S. troop surge began nine weeks ago.

Late Wednesday, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki ordered the arrest of the Iraqi army colonel who was in charge of security in the area around the Sadriyah market where at least 127 people died and 148 were wounded in one of the bombings.

It was the second massive blast at the market since Feb. 3.

Nationwide, the number of people killed or found dead on Wednesday was 233, which equaled the highest death toll since The Associated Press began recording daily nationwide deaths in May 2005.