More bloodshed as triple suicide bombings rock Baghdad

Two car bombs detonated in Baghdad just hours after another Islamic State claimed explosion targeted a busy market in the Shia-majority Sadr City on Wednesday.

MENA

2 min read

The New Arab

11 May, 2016

Several car explosions have targeted the capital city over the last few months [Getty]

At least 10 people were killed and dozens others injured when twin car bombs detonated in a Shia-majority area in the Iraqi capital on Wednesday.

"The blast was carried out by a suicide bomber wearing a vest packed with explosives who blew himself up at the entrance to Jeddah Square, one of the entrances to the city of Kadhimiya, north of Baghdad," a local source told The New Arab.

He stressed that "the outcome is uncertain and the death toll is expected to increase."

Just hours earlier, 64 others were killed and 87 injured when a bomb, claimed by the Islamic State group, hit a popular market in Baghdad’s Sadr City.

Extra security procedures were implemented at the scene, according to an interior ministry source, who suggested more attacks are expected.

Security barriers were put up around the scene of the attack, with cars and personnel banned from entering, the source told The New Arab.

The Islamic State group claimed the attack in a statement posted online.

It said a suicide bomber it identified as "Abu Sulaiman al-Ansari" detonated the explosives-rigged vehicle.

"Four other attacks were foiled by security forces across the capital," the source added, suggesting "the suicide bombers were forced to carry detonates themselves before we caught onto them."

On Monday, at least 10 people were killed and dozens injured in car bomb attack on a busy area in the Iraqi city of Baquba, northwest of the capital.

Diyala province was declared liberated from the Islamic State group in January 2015, but ending their open control of populated areas has not brought an end to attacks.

Baquba is among several towns in the Diyala province that have been hit by a number of large bomb attacks carried out by the militants.

In February, the province was the scene of one of the area’s deadliest attacks, when a suicide bomber targeted mourners in a crowded funeral reception hall, killing 40 people and wounding dozens.

Najat al-Taei, a member of Diyala's provincial council said those in charge of security need to be held responsible for the latest breach.

"Security leaders need to carry out their duties and ensure the safety of citizens by instating effective plans that are able to counter-terrorism," Taei told The New Arab.