Iraqi authorities have raised the death toll from Friday's suicide bombings in two popular Baghdad pet markets to 99, making it the deadliest day in the capital in several months.
Authorities say the two blasts, which occurred 20 minutes apart, were carried out by two women strapped with explosives set off by remote control. They say both of the women were mentally disabled.
About 150 people were wounded in the twin attacks. The U.S military says al-Qaida in Iraq was responsible for the bombings.
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice condemned what she called the "absolute bankruptcy and brutality" of people who would wage such an attack.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he was appalled by the bombings, describing them as particularly callous for targeting innocent civilians.
The same pet markets have been the targets of bombings several times in the past few years. Female suicide bombers are being used more frequently and are believed to be part of the al-Qaida in Iraq network.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
