At least 28 people have died in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, in a double bombing claimed by so-called Islamic State (IS).<\/p>\n
The explosions happened one after another in the busy al-Sinak market. More than 50 people were injured.<\/p>\n
Police said a roadside bomb exploded near a car spare parts shop, then a suicide bomber detonated his device among the crowd that had gathered.<\/p>\n
Baghdad has seen frequent attacks, often targeting Shia districts.<\/p>\n
IS released a statement saying two of its militants had carried out the bombings wearing suicide vests.<\/p>\n
The jihadist group is under pressure from an Iraqi army offensive further north in Mosul, the last major IS stronghold in the country.<\/p>\n
Many of the victims in Saturday’s attacks worked in spare parts shops in the largely Shia area, witnesses said.<\/p>\n
“They were gathered near a cart selling breakfast when the explosions went off,” local shopkeeper Ibrahim Mohammed Ali told the AFP news agency.<\/p>\n
In November, 77 people including Shia pilgrims died in a truck bomb attack in Iraq, and in July 281 people died when bombers targeted a shopping centre in the country. IS claimed responsibility for both attacks.<\/p>\n
The group took control of a large portion of northern and western Iraq more than two years ago but has since been driven back.<\/p>\n
Iraqi security forces have teamed with Kurdish Peshmerga fighters, Sunni Arab tribesmen and Shia militiamen – assisted by warplanes and military advisers from the US-led coalition – to attempt to force IS militants out of Mosul, their last major stronghold.<\/p>\n
The operation has been ongoing since 17 October.<\/p>\n
–<\/p>\n
Source: BBC<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
At least 28 people have died in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, in a double bombing claimed by so-called Islamic State (IS). The explosions happened one after another in the busy al-Sinak market. More than 50 people were injured. Police said a roadside bomb exploded near a car spare parts shop, then a suicide bomber detonated […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":280956,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[107],"tags":[14628,3],"yoast_head":"\n