MOSCOW, April 29 (RIA Novosti) - At least 41 people were killed and 68 wounded on Wednesday in three car bomb blasts in a market area of eastern Baghdad, police said.

Al Jazeera cited police officials as saying the death toll from the attacks in the Sadr City area of Baghdad was expected to rise.

The explosions went off in quick succession at three separate sites during the rush hour in the predominantly Shiite district.

The Arabic television news network said officials believe the attacks were orchestrated by al-Qaeda in Iraq.

The terrorist attacks come less than a week after a series of suicide bombings in Baghdad and Diyala that claimed 150 lives.