Car Bomb Rips Through South Iraq Market Town

BAGHDAD, June 10 -- A car bomb tore through a crowded market Wednesday in a remote town in a part of southern Iraq that has been relatively peaceful in past months, officials said. At least 40 people were killed, with dozens more wounded, overwhelming the nearby hospital.

The explosives were packed in a parked car that exploded in the market in Batha, 30,000 population. a town 20 miles west of the provincial capital of Nasiriyah. Police said the bomb detonated about 8 a.m., at a time the town's commercial area was busy with people.

I  In following years, the area became a battleground for rival Shiite militias. But in past months, the region around the city has been relatively quiet. If the attack proves to be the work of insurgents, it would again demonstrate their persistent ability to reach anywhere in Iraq, even as security has improved.  6