A wave of bombings and shootings in central Iraq during a major Shiite religious commemoration killed at least 42 people and wounded dozens more on Wednesday, security and medical officials said.

Iraqis inspect the site of a car bomb in central Baghdad on June 13, 2012.

Security and medical officials said at least 12 people died in a spate of nine bombings and two shootings in the Baghdad area, which also left dozens of people wounded.

In the city of Baquba, capital of Diyala province, nine roadside bombs, a car bomb and a shooting killed five people and wounded 15 others, according to a police colonel and a medic.

In Balad, north of Baghdad, four people were killed and 24 wounded in two car bombs, a police lieutenant colonel said. The toll was confirmed by a local government official.

And a car bomb in Al-Azizyah, south of Baghdad, killed two people and wounded at least two others, a police captain and a medical source said.