Iraq suicide bombing kills eight at Baghdad security checkpoint

A suicide bomber targeting a security checkpoint in northern Baghdad has killed eight and wounded at least 10 others, including police officers stationed at the checkpoint.

MENA

1 min read

The New Arab & agencies

13 January, 2018

The blast targeted a security checkpoint near north Baghdad's Aden Square [Getty]

Iraqi officials say at least eight people were killed and at least ten wounded in a suicide bombing in Baghdad on Saturday.

Police and hospital officials say the blast struck a northern Baghdad neighbourhood targeting a police checkpoint on a busy street, and that a number of policemen were among the wounded.

All officials spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the bombing, however most such attacks in Iraq are the work of the Islamic State group.

The number of bombings in Baghdad has decreased significantly over the past few months since the country's security forces retook nearly all the territory once held by the Islamic State group.

The extremist group claimed near-daily bombings in Baghdad over much of last year when it still held large swaths of territory in the country.

In December, the government announced the "end of the war" against IS, which has been expelled from the Baghdad region and urban areas of Iraq that it controlled.

IS elements are still active, however, north of Baghdad.

In November, a suicide car bomber killed at least 21 people in an attack on a busy market in a town north of the capital.