Twin car bombings in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul and an attack by eight gunmen on the home of a school teacher in the centre ofthe country left at least 10 people dead, government officials said yesterday.

Violence is raking Iraq as the Shiite-led government and other political factions are debating a request for some American forces to remain in the country beyond the December 31 deadline for all US troops to withdraw after more than eight years.

While violence is well below what it had been during intense Shiite-Sunni sectarian fighting in 2006 and 2007, militants are again stepping up deadly attacks around the country.

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