Numerous car bombings throughout Baghdad on Tuesday have left more than 25 dead according to officials, making the violent episode against the government’s push for stability one of the most tragic.

The bombing attack occurred while Shiites celebrated the birthday of the cousin of prophet Muhammad, Imam Ali, according to, BBC News .

The first bomb went off in Sadr, a city near Baghdad during the morning. As a result four were killed and six injured. The next bomb also went off in Sadr near the homes of many, leaving two dead and seven injured. Another car bomb went off shortly after in the street of Eastern Baghdad’s district, Jamila.

According to The Wall Street Journal , The United Nations announced that in 2013 Iraq reached the highest amount of annual deaths since the start of sectarian bloodletting in 2007 and 2008. It counted 8,868 violence related deaths.

No one has yet to come forward. However, the attacks appeared to have been executed by al-Qaeda Sunni militants, whom believe Shiites to be “infidels”.