Suicide bombing kills 8 in Baghdad market

Eight people were killed and 12 were injured on Thursday in a suicide bomb attack at a marketplace in Sadr City neighborhood in the Iraqi capital Baghdad, a police source told Xinhua News Agency.

The incident occurred in the evening when a suicide bomber detonated his explosive vest at Jamila market in the Sadr City neighborhood, Ihsan Ali from Baghdad police said.

"The latest reports said eight people were killed and 12 wounded by the blast in Sadr City," Ali said.

The blast destroyed several nearby stalls and shops in the crowded market, Ali added.

The attack took place at rush time in the evening just after iftar meal, or the break of the daylight fasting in the holy month of Ramadan.

Iraqi security forces sealed off the area and prevented people from approaching the scene, while ambulances were moving to evacuate the victims.

Baghdad Operations Command, which is responsible for the security of Baghdad, confirmed the attack in a statement without giving further details.

Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for the suicide bombing.

The extremist group released a statement early on Friday saying the bomber detonated his explosives vest at the Jamila marketplace on Thursday evening, The Associated Press reported.

"He, thanks to God almighty, entered into a gathering of infidels...and detonated his vest, killing eight and wounding more than 10 others," the group said in a statement.

The security situation in Iraq has improved since Iraqi security forces fully defeated the IS militants across the country late in 2017.

The IS militant remnants, however, have since melted in urban areas. They have moved to deserts and rugged areas, carrying out frequent guerrilla attacks against security forces and civilians.

(China Daily 05/11/2019 page8)