The death toll from a series of coordinated explosions in Baghdad on Tuesday rose to 57, while 248 others were wounded, an Interior Ministry source said.

"The latest report said 57 people were killed and 248 others were wounded in the attacks," the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

At least 12 car bomb explosions and one roadside bombing struck on Tuesday Baghdad's northwest area of Khadhimiya, northeast areas of Zuhour, Ur and Sadr, as well as southwest areas of Bayaa and Shulaa, which are all Shiite regions. The Sunni-Shiite mixed area of Yarmuk was also hit by explosions, the source said.

Gun fights and mortar blasts could be heard by Xinhua correspondents in central Baghdad.

Gassan Ahmed, a 48-year-old teacher who lives in Bayaa district told Xinhua that there were two powerful explosions in Eshreen street where hundreds of people were shopping as they were preparing for the Adha Eid after the Muslim Haj, or pilgrimage.

"The first car bomb went off outside the Qahir al-As'ar Souq market. I was close to the scene and saw many bodies. I couldn't count them because I was busy with my injured friend," Ahmed said, adding "dozens of civilian cars were also destroyed, blood stains and human parts were scattered across the scene."

"My friend Hussan was injured in his head and a police vehicle took him as well as many other wounded and dead bodies to the Yarmuk hospital in western Baghdad," Ahmed added.

Maher Abbas, a 37-year-old government employee, told Xinhua that "I was walking in Baghdad's western Sunni neighborhood of Ghazaliyah when four mortar rounds landed on a market, killing and wounding many people."

"I heard the security forces forced the shops to close for safety, as more attacks may take place," he said.

Violence and sporadic high-profile attacks are still common in Iraqi cities as part of recent deterioration in security which shaped a setback to the efforts of the Iraqi government to restore normalcy in the country after violence-torn Iraq held parliamentary elections about eight months ago.

On Sunday, gunmen wearing explosive vests and armed with grenades and assault rifles detonated a car bomb near the Iraqi security forces and attacked the church in Karrada, holding some 100 hostages inside.

About three hours later, Iraqi security forces stormed the church and freed the hostages after fierce fighting with the gunmen, leaving 58 people killed including two priests, and other 75 injured.