Officials: 2 car bombs kill 8 and wound 21 in southern Iraq
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Iraqi authorities say two car bombs have killed eight people and wounded 21 others in the country's south.
Two police officials said that the first blast took place near a parking lot near the Tax Department in the center of Basra. Fifteen minutes later, a second bomb went off near an outdoor market in another part of the oil-rich city.
Basra is 550 kilometers (340 miles) southeast of Baghdad.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Both police officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to talk to the media.
Basra lawmaker Suzan al-Saad confirmed the casualties.
Attacks are rare in Shiite-dominated Basra, which is considered relatively violence-free compared to other parts of the country.