A car bomb at a crowded market in northern Baghdad has killed at least 64 people and wounded 87 others, Iraqi police and medical sources say. It happened at the Shia district of Sadr City during the morning rush hour. So-called Islamic State (IS) said it had carried out the attack, targeting Shia militiamen. The mainly Sunni group, which controls swathes of northern and western Iraq, has frequently targeted Shia, whom it considers heretics. Many of the victims included women and children, officials said. Several of the injured were said to be in critical condition. The blast damaged nearby buildings and other vehicles. Battle for Iraq and Syria in maps Islamic State group: The full story Image copyrightREUTERS Image caption The attack targeted a busy market in a Shia district in northern Baghdad Image copyrightREUTERS Image caption It happened during a busy period in the morning IS has frequently targeted commercial areas and government and security personnel, causing heavy casualties.  Recent IS deadly bombings March 2016: Suicide attack in a football match in the city of Iskandariya, in central Iraq, kills at least 32 people. Many of the dead are young boys who were in a trophy ceremony. March 2016: Fuel tanker is blown up at a checkpoint near Hilla, south of Baghdad, killing at least 47 people. February 2016: Twin suicide bomb attack in a busy market in Sadr City kills at least 70 people.  Iraqi forces, backed by US-led coalition air strikes and Shia-dominated paramilitary forces, have regained some territory seized by IS in 2014, but have been unable to prevent bomb attacks in the capital. 
No comments