Baghdad: Three bombs exploded in the south Iraq port city of Basra Thursday, killing at least two people and wounding 10 others, an interior ministry official said.

A roadside bomb and a motorcycle bomb exploded simultaneously at about 6:40 pm local time in central Basra, the official said. Following a common pattern in Iraq, a third roadside bomb went off as people gathered at the scene, according to the official, who put the initial toll from the three blasts at two dead and 10 wounded.

Violence has declined nationwide since its peak in 2006 and 2007, but attacks remain common. A total of 258 people were killed in October, according to official figures. Bureau Report