Al-Qaeda militants have claimed responsibility for a series of attacks that killed and wounded hundreds of people in Iraq.

In an Internet statement, the Islamic State of Iraq said it was behind the bloodshed.

Around 115 people were reported killed and around 300 wounded in bombing and gun attacks in Iraq on July 23, in what was the bloodiest day of violence in the country since U.S. combat troops withdrew in December.

On July 22, 20 people were reported killed in bombings as part of an apparently coordinated surge of violence.

The attacks, spread across the country, mostly targeted Shi'ite Muslims.

Sunni Al-Qaeda in Iraq often hits Shi'ite targets in what's seen as a bid to foment sectarian violence and undermine the Shi'ite-led government.

Based on reporting by Reuters and AFP