AMARA (Iraq), Dec 12: Triple car bombs killed at least 25 people in the southern city of Amara on Wednesday, as Iraq announced it would retake control of the key province of Basra from the British army on Dec 16.

Zamil Shia’a al-Oreibi, director general of Amara health department, said the bombings killed 25 people and that 10 children were among the 151 wounded.

Amara police Lieutenant Ali Kadhim Hassan said the three bombs exploded within minutes of each other, the first going off at 10:30 am (0730 GMT).

The bombings came amid a series of attacks in Iraq over the past week after a group linked to Al Qaeda warned it would unleash a bombing campaign.

Hundreds of relatives of victims rushed to hospitals to seek their loved ones as police announced a 24-hour curfew in Amara, a correspondent reported.

“The security personnel must carefully check all the cars in the city, especially those entering the city,” said Ali Hussein, 35, whose 11-year-old brother was wounded in the attack and was in Amara’s Al-Zahrawi hospital.

Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said the bombings were a “desperate act aimed at shaking the security and stability in Maysan which had suffered under the former regime.” Amara is the capital of Maysan province.

US National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe said the attacks were by a “determined enemy” that “does not want the Iraqi people to live in security and freedom.” “Iraqi forces will continue to go after those groups with support from the US and UK forces.” British forces transferred security control of Maysan province to Iraqi forces in April.

But the province and Amara in particular has witnessed intense Shia infighting, often leading to street battles between militias and Iraqi police.

British forces pulled out of Amara in August 2006 and the city of 350,000 residents immediately saw gangs of looters move in and strip the barracks bare, removing roofing and air conditioning units.

Gunmen linked to Moqtada al-Sadr’s Mahdi Army celebrated the British withdrawal as a victory, boasting they had liberated Amara from an occupying force.

The latest bombings dealt a blow to claims by London and Baghdad that security in southern regions of Iraq was under control.

BRITAIN TO HAND OVER BASRA: Baghdad on Wednesday announced it would take over security control of Basra — the key southern province which sits on vast oil reserves — from British troops on Sunday.

“The handover of Basra will take place on Dec 16,” Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh told reporters in Basra on the sidelines of a conference.

The British military confirmed the date. “We confirm that the provincial handover of Basra will take place on Dec 16,” a military spokeswoman told on telephone from Basra.

Britain has about 5,500 troops in southern Iraq and they are expected to be cut by more than half to 2,500 by early next year after Iraqis assume control of Basra province.—AFP