Three people have died in less than 24 hours in separate incidents in Sweden as gang violence in the country escalates.

An 18-year-old man was shot dead in a suburb of Stockholm late on Wednesday, police said.

Hours later one man was killed and another injured in a shooting in Jordbro, south of the city.

And early on Thursday morning, a 25-year-old woman died after an explosion in Uppsala, west of Stockholm. Police believe she was not the intended victim.

The blast was so powerful that it damaged five houses, tearing the facade off two.

Although it is not yet known whether the incidents were related, local media say at least two of them were linked to gangs.

They bring the number killed in gun violence to 11 so far this month – making it the deadliest for shootings in the country since records began in 2016.

Read more from Sky News:
Torture 24 hours a day in Kherson
Teenagers and teachers stabbed at Spanish school
More than 100 dead at wedding in Iraq

Gang crime, particularly between two rival groups in Stockholm, has escalated in Sweden in recent months.

One is run by a Swedish-Turkish dual national who lives in Turkey and the other by his former second-in-command.

The feuding sides have been fighting over guns and weapons, according to Swedish broadcaster SVT.

Be the first to get Breaking News

Install the Sky News app for free

Three people have been arrested in relation to the Jordbro shooting, as well as two others over the Uppsala explosion.

Earlier this week there were two other explosions at properties in central Sweden, which injured at least three people and damaged buildings. Investigations are ongoing.

Sweden’s government is increasing sentences for possession of explosives without a permit from three years in prison to five.

Related posts:

Italy surpasses 100,000 COVID deaths a year after imposing world’s first national lockdown ‘Designed to break you’: British-Australian academic had suicidal thoughts in Iranian jail Raul Castro announces retirement as head of Cuba’s Communist Party, 10 years after succeeding Fidel Biggest AstraZeneca jab maker unlikely to resume exports ‘for at least three months’ Belarus ‘attacking’ EU by forcing asylum seekers into the bloc ‘The rules are changing’: Potential for surprises as parliamentary elections begin in Russia Taliban replaces women’s ministry with ‘vice and virtue’ ministry – as schools reopen for boys Netherlands to enter tough lockdown from tomorrow to curb Omicron spread Guyana’s president calls for ‘meaningful’ apology over slavery after meeting Boris Johnson ‘Lives will be lost’ if benefits and wages do not rise in line with inflation Taliban kill Islamic State leader who masterminded airport bombing that left 13 US service members dead Triathlon Ireland says it did not ‘sanction’ Ironman swim race in which two men died