Car bombs kill 13 in Baghdad

The blast took place at a major intersection in the area, which is lined with stores and kiosks selling food, clothes and household appliances and usually has a heavy police presence.

Elsewhere, US airstrikes killed 14 terror suspects and destroyed a foreign fighter safe house during a raid south of Baqouba that also led to the capture of two other suspects, the military said.

On Friday, a bomb struck a busy pet and livestock market, killing at least 15 people, wounding 66 and shattering the calm as Baghdad residents strolled past stalls where sellers were peddling birds, dogs, cats, sheep, goats and exotic animals such as snakes and monkeys.

That strike came as US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Baghdad and met with Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki—a clear sign the newly empowered Democratic Congress is not going to abide by the notion that foreign policy is the sole province of the White House.

“We stressed our belief that it is well past time for the Iraqis to take primary responsibility for the security of their nation,” Pelosi said in a statement after she and the other six members of her delegation met with the prime minister and top US officials in Baghdad.

Meanwhile, two American soldiers weres killed in action in Diyala province on Saturday.