Baghdad bomb kills 36

Three car bombs tore through Baghdad and the former insurgent stronghold of Fallujah yesterday, killing at least 36 people.

The blasts in the capital were so powerful they sheared the sides off buildings and left streets choked with chunks of rubble.

It was the worst violence since the United States military dropped to 50,000 troops in Iraq and formally declared an end to combat operations on September 1.

It said Iraqi forces were able to protect their country.