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Hostilities between Sunnis and Shiites are at a peak: The number of victims is higher than it has been for years, and the upcoming election campaign may well make things worse. Iraqi security forces and people stand at the site of a car bomb attack . REUTERS/Essam Al-Sudani Last weekend in Baghdad was a particularly bloody one. More than 40 people died in ten car bomb attacks that targeted a bus stop and Shiite-majority areas in the Iraqi capital on Sunday (27.10.2013.) Sunni extremists are believed to have been responsible. Attacks in other parts of the country on the same day left another 20 people dead. The number of victims of religiously or politically motivated attacks has surged dramatically in recent months. The United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) says that more than 5,200 people were killed between April and the end of September this year. Iraq has experienced innumerable such attacks since Saddam Hussein was toppled in 2003. But in the last few months the number of booby-traps, car bombs and targeted killings has reached a five-year peak. Whats new this year is the frequency of the attacks, the geographic expansion and, above all, increasingly improved coordination, says Falko Walde. The Jordan-based expert at Germanys Friedrich-Naumann Foundation told DW that more than 600 people were killed in October alone. An Iraqi walks past a provincial elections campaign billboard REUTERS/Mohammed Ameen Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki is trying to boost support ahead of the election Attacks cement religious strife The surge of violence has pushed the country deeper into chaos. Every bomb that hits a Shiite neighborhood, every murder of a Sunni representative, magnifies the gulf between the two groups. Under Saddam Hussein, the Shiite majority was marginalized. Now they are in power, and Sunnis feel excluded. Christians in the country are caught in the middle. Numerous churches have been torched. In northern Iraq, the Kurds are struggling to secure more autonomy from the government in Baghdad, but they are steering clear of the sectarian conflict. Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki, on the other hand, clearly is getting involved in the conflict. He is turning on Sunni rivals, even within his own government. He persuaded Interpol to issue a worldwide alert for the arrest of former Iraqi Vice President Tariq Al-Hashemi, who fled into exile. Al-Maliki also had employees and bodyguards of Sunni Finance Minister Rafi Al-Issawi arrested for alleged involvement in acts of terrorism. A new dictator He is a despot, and hes trying to keep the reins in his hands, says Berlin-based Kadhim Habib, a former head of the Arab-European Institute for Research and Communication. According to Habib, Shiite and Sunni leaders are not directly involved in the terrorist attacks; however, they are taking advantage of the tensions to unite their supporters ahead of parliamentary polls in April 2014. This, he says, contributes to an atmosphere of mistrust and insecurity, adding that foreign meddling further exacerbates the tension: Turkey, Saudi Arabia and several Gulf States support Sunni groups, while Iran supports the Shiites. GettyImages 178139613 A member of the Iraqi interior ministrys security forces checks the ID of a cab driver at a checkpoint in Baghdad SABAH ARAR/AFP/Getty Images) Tensions are running high in the Iraqi capital The conflict in neighboring Syria also adds to the escalation. The civil war in Syria is a proxy war. Its about the Sunni-Shiite balance of power in the region, Walde says. The Iraqi Sunnis sympathize with Syrian opponents of the regime, but the Shiite-dominated government in Baghdad is sceptical about a possible change of power in Damascus. The Syrian government is a close ally of Shiite Iran. In Iraq itself, however, the conflict is not simply a struggle between two camps. There are hostile groups even within the various factions. Shiites could easily be the target of Shiite attacks. Sunnis too could be targeted by others within their own group. No silver lining In order to stop the spiralling violence, Walde says, the government would have to include the religious and ethnic minorities in the political process instead of excluding them. He suggests that the election campaign ahead of the polls in April 2014 should focus on party programs, and address voters across ethnic and sectarian lines. This, according to Walde, would be a chance to stabilize Iraq, At the moment, though, this is an unlikely scenario. In previous elections, leaders have deliberately played on religious affiliations to mobilize their own clientele. Walde warns that this could now cause things to spin out of control: Even Kurdish northern Iraq, seen so far as being relatively secure, is starting to get sucked in. Walde fears the attacks will continue, and the number of victims will rise. Unfortunately, there is no indication at the moment that this trend will be reversed, he says. DW.DE Iraq violence linked to Syrian civil war Iraq has been shaken by its worst wave of violence in the last five years. The United Nations has warned that the sectarian bloodshed in Iraq and the civil war in neighboring Syria are merging into one conflict. (19.07.2013) Iraqi Kurdistans boom laced with pitfalls Young Western Kurds are settling in Iraqi Kurdistan, the homeland that they hardly know. They want to be part of the development of the region, but at times encounter a strange and unwelcoming world. (22.10.2013) Both sides have different priorities in Syria The US and Russia have reached an agreement on a framework to destroy Syrias chemical weapon stockpiles. Further discussion on how to resolve the countrys civil war could also be initiated, but critics are skeptical. (14.09.2013) Date 29.10.2013 Author Andrea Gorzewski / db Editor Charlotte Collins Share Send Facebook Twitter google+ More Feedback: Send us an e-mail. Please include your name and country in your reply. Print Print this page Permalink dw.de/p/1A8jh More content EPA/Enrique García Medina Serious setback for Argentinas Kirchner 28.10.2013 The party of Argentine President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner has suffered a bitter defeat in mid-term congressional elections. The country now faces some fundamental change. Syria: Emergency room of an MSF hospital in northern Syria (Aleppo province). The hospital has attended 601 deliveries and provided almost 15,000 consultations and 446 surgical operations up to April 2013. It is focused on obstetric care and surgery. Foto: Anna Surinyach/MSF Bitte beachten Sie die Nutzungsbedingungen für alle Bilder: Kostenlose Verwendung nur nach Genehmigung durch und im Zusammenhang mit Berichterstattung über Ärzte ohne Grenzen und unter Nennung des Urhebers wie jeweils angegeben. Keine Archivierung, keine Weiterverbreitung. ***Nur zur einmaligen Verwendung im Artikel von DW/Cornelia Wegerhoff zum Einsatz von Dr. Tankred Stöbe an der Grenze zwischen Syrien und Irak!!**** Polio returns to Syria as health system collapses 28.10.2013 Aid workers in Syria are calling for comprehensive humanitarian access nationwide as outbreaks of infectious diseases surge. Though eradicated in Syria in the 1990s, 10 cases of polio have now been confirmed. German Chancellor Angela Merkel (L) and U.S. President Barack Obama walk together during the family picture event during the G20 summit in St.Petersburg September 6, 2013. REUTERS/Anton Denisov/RIA Novosti/Pool (RUSSIA - Tags: POLITICS BUSINESS) ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. IT IS DISTRIBUTED, EXACTLY AS RECEIVED BY REUTERS, AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS NSAs Stasi methods - what did Obama know? 28.10.2013 Barack Obama has come under intense pressure following the scandal over the bugging of Angela Merkels cell phone by the NSA. The intelligence agency insists the US president knew nothing, but there are contradictions. Date 29.10.2013 Author Andrea Gorzewski / db Editor Charlotte Collins Share Send Facebook Twitter google+ More Send us your feedback. Print Print this page Permalink dw.de/p/1A8jh Join the discussion We want to hear your opinion on our featured essay. Can civic reform in a democracy occur without revolutions and uprisings? Write to us or post your thoughts on our social media platforms. english[at]dw.de Facebook DW on Google+ #dwdemocracy on Twitter Power to the people Globalization A graphic showing faces and the words The Storytellers In Focus Weekly profiles Each week, DW brings you personal stories from around the globe. Doctor rekindles ancient Greek spirit in Athens free clinic Vietnams Miss Protest puts justice before personal safety A boat, center, is surrounded by Japan Cost Guards patrol boats after some activists descended from the boat on Uotsuri Island, one of the islands of Senkaku in Japanese and Diaoyu in Chinese, in East China Sea Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2012. (Photo:Yomiuri Shimbun, Masataka Morita/AP/dapd) JAPAN OUT, MANDATORY CREDIT Neighborly enemies Israel discusses Palestinian situation before UN Human Rights Council Israel has defended its record before the UN, ending an 18-month boycott of the Human Rights Council. All 193 UN member states are meant to undergo a review of their records every four years. EU warns Georgia against selective justice as Saakashvili bows out The EU has cautioned Georgia against applying selective justice during a visit to Brussels by President Mikheil Saakashvili. Speculation has arisen that Tbilisi may bring charges against the leader when he leaves office. Caucasians head for Europe by train More and more people are fleeing Russias North Caucasus region for the EU, in search of freedom and prosperity. Their route takes them through Belarus - and the border town of Brest is benefiting from the refugees. Africas Resources More from the world regions Europe Africa Asia Americas Middle East TOP STORIES Germany World Business Sci-Tech Globalization Environment Culture Sports MEDIA CENTER Live Video Audio Pictures PROGRAM Whats on TV? 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