A series of explosions rocked the Iraqi capital Baghdad early Monday evening, reportedly killing 30 people. Attacks against anti Al-Qaeda fighters also happened earlier in the day claiming five lives.

Baghdad authorities reported collateral damage from the explosions that occurred in eight neighbourhoods. One particularly powerful blast caused the death of three people and wounded 11 others, and shattered windows in the central part of Iraq's capital.

The deadliest of the explosions, authorities say, is from a car bomb explosion in the market in the Husseiniya's Shiite community. The explosion took six lives and wounded 13 more.

Another Shiite neighbourhood was targeted but other neighbourhoods were also hit. In the Sunni neighbourhood of Sadiyah, three people died from the blasts and 10 were wounded. Baghdad hospital officials confirmed the number of casualties to the press.

5 Facts About Al-Qaeda

1. Al-Qaeda Does Not Have a Home Country

Although the terrorist group was established by Osama bin Laden and Abdullah Azzam in Afghanistan in 1988, the group does not have a home country. Operating without a base makes the cells semi-independent. This factor is one of the major reasons why it is difficult to trace where they are, experts say.

Since Al-Qaeda has a decentralised system, cells do not know where other cells are and therefore cannot contact each other.

2. Al-Qaeda Views the West as a Threat to Islam

Influenced by extreme ideologies particularly that of the Salafi stream, Al-Qaeda believes that the greatest threat to their religion is the Western world and its culture. The group's advocacy is to establish an Islamic State governed by religious law. The ideology explains why they fight the holy war. According to experts, the best concept to explain what fuels the terror group's fervor is "defensive jihad".

3. Al-Qaeda Created by the U.S.

The news about Al-Qaeda being established by the United States itself does not come unfounded, sources say. Osama bin Laden left the comforts of his Saudi home in the 80s to fight against Soviet Union forces.

According to a September 18, 2001 article published by the BBC, "The Afghan jihad was backed with American dollars and had the blessing of the governments of Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. He (bin Laden) received security training from the CIA itself."

The U.S. spent $3 billion to support the resistance but after the Soviets withdrew, bin Laden's faction turned against the United States.

4. Surpassed Hamas, Hezbollah, and the IRA because of 9/11

After the terrorist attack in New York, Al-Qaeda got the attention of the world surpassing groups like Hamas, Hezbollah, and the IRA.

5. Al-Qaeda Works Like a Franchise

Unlike groups like the IRA or the PLO, the terrorist group does not identify itself with a single cause. Al-Qaeda provides logistical and financial help to cells in numerous places around the world including Chechnya, Somalia, the Philippines, Algeria, Yemen, among others.