Canada warns of possible Iraq 'civil war'

A spate of deadly violence risks plunging Iraq into a sectarian civil war, Canada's top diplomat warned, adding that a Canadian was among the latest victims. "The security situation in Iraq has been fragile for many years," Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird said in a statement. "But the type of violence we have seen increase in recent days is particularly troubling and risks returning the country to a sectarian civil war." Iraq is struggling to contain a wave of unrest that has killed 387 people so far this month, including 21 who died on Tuesday. Violence in Iraq has fallen from its peak in 2006 and 2007 but attacks are still common, killing more than 200 people in each of the first five months of this year, according to AFP figures. Baird said some of the violence "appears to be inspired by outside forces" and urged Iraqi authorities to "do all they can" to boost security. He did not identify the Canadian killed.