Officials in Iraq say insurgents killed about 100 people Thursday in coordinated attacks in five cities. The targets included police stations and government buildings, and most of those killed were Iraqis.
A group affiliated with wanted terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi (al-Tawhid and Jihad) claimed responsibility for the attacks in a statement on an Islamist web site.
The heaviest toll was in the northern city of Mosul, where officials say at least 62 people were killed by multiple car bombs.
Bombings and other attacks were also reported in Baghdad, Fallujah, Baquba and Ramadi.
Three U.S. soldiers were among those killed.
Meanwhile, the militia of radical Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr declared a truce with Iraqi government forces in order to protect important sites from terror attacks.
Information for this report is provided by AP and Reuters.