BAGHDAD — A pair of suicide bombings minutes apart hit a central Baghdad market on Saturday, killing 28 people and wounding at least 54, prompting security forces to ban traffic from key streets at the centre of the Iraqi capital, police and hospital officials said.

The twin attacks hit al-Sinak, a busy market selling car accessories, food and clothes as well as agricultural seeds and machinery. Minutes after the first suicide bomber detonated his explosives-laden belt, the second one struck amid the crowd that gathered, according to the officials.

All officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to release the information.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attacks in al-Sanak in a statement posted by its Aamaq news agency, confirming that the blasts came from a pair of suicide bombers.

Later on Saturday, three separate attacks in and around Baghdad killed eight people and wounded 17. Those killed included one policeman.</s>BAGHDAD -- A pair of suicide bombings minutes apart hit a central Baghdad market on Saturday, killing 28 people and wounding at least 54, prompting security forces to ban traffic from key streets at the centre of the Iraqi capital, police and hospital officials said.

The twin attacks hit al-Sinak, a busy market selling car accessories, food and clothes as well as agricultural seeds and machinery. Minutes after the first suicide bomber detonated his explosives-laden belt, the second one struck amid the crowd that gathered, according to the officials.

All officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to release the information.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attacks in al-Sanak in a statement posted by its Aamaq news agency, confirming that the blasts came from a pair of suicide bombers.

Later on Saturday, three separate attacks in and around Baghdad killed eight people and wounded 17. Those killed included one policeman.</s>BAGHDAD — A pair of suicide bombings minutes apart hit a central Baghdad market on Saturday, killing 28 people and wounding at least 54, prompting security forces to ban traffic from key streets at the centre of the Iraqi capital, police and hospital officials said.

The twin attacks hit al-Sinak, a busy market selling car accessories, food and clothes as well as agricultural seeds and machinery. Minutes after the first suicide bomber detonated his explosives-laden belt, the second one struck amid the crowd that gathered, according to the officials.

All officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to release the information.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attacks in al-Sanak in a statement posted by its Aamaq news agency, confirming that the blasts came from a pair of suicide bombers.

Later on Saturday, three separate attacks in and around Baghdad killed eight people and wounded 17. Those killed included one policeman.</s>BAGHDAD — A pair of suicide bombings minutes apart hit a central Baghdad market on Saturday, killing 28 people and wounding at least 54, prompting security forces to ban traffic from key streets at the centre of the Iraqi capital, police and hospital officials said.

The twin attacks hit al-Sinak, a busy market selling car accessories, food and clothes as well as agricultural seeds and machinery. Minutes after the first suicide bomber detonated his explosives-laden belt, the second one struck amid the crowd that gathered, according to the officials.

All officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to release the information.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attacks in al-Sanak in a statement posted by its Aamaq news agency, confirming that the blasts came from a pair of suicide bombers.

Later on Saturday, three separate attacks in and around Baghdad killed eight people and wounded 17. Those killed included one policeman.</s>BAGHDAD — A pair of suicide bombings minutes apart hit a central Baghdad market on Saturday, killing 28 people and wounding at least 54, prompting security forces to ban traffic from key streets at the centre of the Iraqi capital, police and hospital officials said.

The twin attacks hit al-Sinak, a busy market selling car accessories, food and clothes as well as agricultural seeds and machinery. Minutes after the first suicide bomber detonated his explosives-laden belt, the second one struck amid the crowd that gathered, according to the officials.

All officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to release the information.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attacks in al-Sanak in a statement posted by its Aamaq news agency, confirming that the blasts came from a pair of suicide bombers.

Later on Saturday, three separate attacks in and around Baghdad killed eight people and wounded 17. Those killed included one policeman.</s>Local media reported that the incident took place in Qadisiyah district on Sunday, with both security forces and civilians believed to be among the casualties.

Separately, gunmen raided a checkpoint in Najaf’s al-Meshkhab area, but the number of possible casualties remains unclear, Press TV reported.

Meanwhile, local sources have reported several mortar attacks around Najaf Province.

The Daesh (ISIL or ISIS) terror group has claimed responsibility for the bomb attack. The terrorists have in recent months increased their acts of violence across Iraq in revenge for the blows they have been taking from Iraqi armed forces in the battle for the liberation of Mosul.

On Saturday, the capital Baghdad also witnessed bloodshed. At least 28 people lost their lives in a bomb explosion at a crowded market. The attack was later claimed by Daesh.

In another development on Saturday, an improvised explosive device went off in the district of Yarmuk in western Baghdad, leaving a civilian wounded.

Two more people were also injured after a magnetic bomb exploded on al-Qanat Highway in eastern Baghdad

Meanwhile, Baghdad Operations Command spokesman Brigadier General Saad Maan said that five booby-traps had exploded in northwestern Baghdad, killing one person and hurting six others.

Data from monthly reports issued by the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) shows that acts of terrorism killed a total of 12,038 Iraqis and injured 14,411 others in 2016.

Iraqi forces advance on Mosul, kill Takfiris

On Saturday, Iraqi forces made fresh gains against Takfiri militants in their push to liberate the northern city of Mosul, the last Daesh stronghold in the country, killing some 200 terrorists.

The commander of Nineveh Liberation Operation, Lieutenant General Abdul Amir Yarallah, said a unit of the Iraqi army had hoisted the national flag over buildings in the village of Arkub, situated in the north of Hudaba neighborhood.

The Arabic-language al-Forat news agency also reported that members of the Popular Mobilization Units, backed by federal police forces, retook the village of Shukran after engaging terrorists and killing a large number of them.

Meanwhile, Iraq’s War Media Cell said policemen had clashed with Daesh elements in Mosul’s southeast, releasing several trapped locals.

Separately, Iraq’s Defense Ministry reported that two militant mortar firing positions and six vehicles had been destroyed in Arkub. Some 55 militants died on the northern front of the Mosul battle.

On the eastern front, two explosives-laden vehicles were destroyed and 45 militants were killed in clashes with Iraqi army soldiers.

In southern Mosul, federal police forces got rid of seven explosives-packed vehicles and killed 86 Daesh terrorists.

Iraqi army troops and allied fighters launched a long-awaited operation to recapture Mosul on October 17.

Defeating Daesh in the city would be a major blow to the Takfiri outfit that began its campaign of terror in northern and western Iraq more than two years ago.

Earlier this week, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said it would take three months to rid the country of Daesh.</s>BAGHDAD — A pair of suicide bombings minutes apart hit a central Baghdad market on Saturday, killing 28 people and wounding at least 54, prompting security forces to ban traffic from key streets at the centre of the Iraqi capital, police and hospital officials said.

The twin attacks hit al-Sinak, a busy market selling car accessories, food and clothes as well as agricultural seeds and machinery. Minutes after the first suicide bomber detonated his explosives-laden belt, the second one struck amid the crowd that gathered, according to the officials.

All officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to release the information.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attacks in al-Sanak in a statement posted by its Aamaq news agency, confirming that the blasts came from a pair of suicide bombers.

Later on Saturday, three separate attacks in and around Baghdad killed eight people and wounded 17. Those killed included one policeman.</s>BAGHDAD — A pair of suicide bombings minutes apart hit a central Baghdad market on Saturday, killing 28 people and wounding at least 54, prompting security forces to ban traffic from key streets at the centre of the Iraqi capital, police and hospital officials said.

The twin attacks hit al-Sinak, a busy market selling car accessories, food and clothes as well as agricultural seeds and machinery. Minutes after the first suicide bomber detonated his explosives-laden belt, the second one struck amid the crowd that gathered, according to the officials.

All officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to release the information.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attacks in al-Sanak in a statement posted by its Aamaq news agency, confirming that the blasts came from a pair of suicide bombers.

Later on Saturday, three separate attacks in and around Baghdad killed eight people and wounded 17. Those killed included one policeman.</s>ISIS: Terror group claims attack in southern Iraq kills at least seven

Jihadist attacks in the overwhelmingly Shiite south of Iraq are rare but there have been infiltrations from the western desert of Anbar in recent months.

An attack claimed by the Islamic State group on a police checkpoint in southern Iraq left at least seven people dead on Sunday, officials said.

Gunmen wearing suicide vests and driving an explosives-laden vehicle opened fire on the checkpoint near the town of Qadisiyah, which lies around 180 kilometres (110 miles) south of Baghdad.

"The security forces fought back, killing the attackers and blowing up the car," an interior ministry statement said.

"They were planning to head to Najaf to blow themselves up there," interior ministry spokesman Saad Maan said, referring to a holy Shiite city around 40 kilometres (25 miles) to the north.

Maan said seven people were killed by the attackers and 15 wounded. He said five policemen were among the dead.

The military commander for the area, Major General Qais al-Rahaima, gave the same death toll and said at least 11 were wounded.

Jihadist attacks in the overwhelmingly Shiite south of Iraq are rare but there have been infiltrations from the western desert of Anbar in recent months.

Najaf is considered a religious capital for Iraq’s Shiite majority and has always been seen as a major potential target for IS, which views Shiites as heretics.

The jihadist group claimed responsibility for Sunday’s attack in a statement that said five of its suicide attackers had been killed and putting the number of victims killed and wounded at 100.

The group had also claimed twin bombings at a market area in central Baghdad on Saturday that left at least 27 people dead and more than 50 wounded.

This post was syndicated from pulse.ng - Nigeria's entertainment & lifestyle platform online. Click here to read the full text on the original website.

Also, Like us on facebook</s>A suicide car bomb killed at least 18 people when it exploded Monday in a busy market area of Baghdad, Iraqi officials said, hours after the arrival of French President François Hollande.

A suicide bomber blew up his explosives-laden vehicle Monday in a bustling market area in Baghdad, killing at least 18 people, Iraqi officials said, hours after the arrival of French President Francois Hollande to the country and amid a fierce fight against the Islamic State group.

The bomber driving a pickup truck attacked an outdoor fruit and vegetable market, daily laborers and a police checkpoint in Baghdad's eastern Sadr City district, a police officer said. Up to 25 other people were wounded in that attack, he said, adding that the death toll was expected to rise.

Two medical officials confirmed the casualty figures. All officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to release information.

No group has immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, but it had all the hallmarks of the IS group, which has staged multiple similar attacks in the past. The group claimed responsibility for Saturday's suicide attack in a central Baghdad market, which killed at least 28 people, and Sunday's suicide bombing at a checkpoint south of Baghdad that killed at least nine people.

Iraq witnesses near-daily attacks, including in Baghdad, which have been frequently claimed by IS. Late last month, Iraqi authorities started removing some of the security checkpoints in Baghdad, mainly on its eastern side, in a bid to ease traffic for the capital's approximately 6 million residents.

The attack came Hollande started an official visit to Iraq to meet officials and French troops. During his one-day visit, Hollande met with Iraqi President Fuad Masum and Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi in the capital, Baghdad. Later, he'll travel to the country's self-governing northern Kurdish region to meet French troops and local officials.

Iraqi troops, backed by a U.S.-led coalition, are fighting IS in a massive operation to retake the northern city of Mosul. Iraqi state TV said Holland will discuss "increasing support to Iraq and the latest developments in the fight against Daesh," the Arabic acronym for IS.

In quotes published by the Elysee official Twitter account, Holland promised that France would remain a long-term ally of Iraq and called for coordination between intelligence services "in a spirit of great responsibility."

France is part of the U.S.-led international coalition formed in late 2014 to fight IS after the extremist group seized large areas in Iraq and neighboring Syria and declared an Islamic "caliphate." France has suffered multiple terrorist attacks claimed by IS.

Hollande, on Twitter, said Iraq was in a precarious position two years ago, when IS made its blitz. But now the tide has turned. "The results are there: Daesh is in retreat and the battle of Mosul is engaged."

Since the Mosul operation started on Oct. 17, Iraqi forces have seized around a quarter of the city. Last week, the troops resumed fighting after a two-week lull due to stiff resistance by the militants, bad weather and thousands of civilians trapped in their houses.

In an interview with The Associated Press on Sunday, the senior U.S. military commander, Brig. Gen. Rick Uribe, praised the Iraqi forces fighting mainly on the eastern side of the city, saying they were "at their peak." Uribe agreed with al-Abadi's assessment that it would take another three months to liberate Mosul.

He predicted the troops would face a different fight when they cross to the west bank of the Tigris River, saying it will mostly be a "dismounted" battle fought in part on narrow streets, some of which were not wide enough for a vehicle to pass.

Mosul, Iraq's second-largest city is located about 360 kilometers (225 miles) northwest of Baghdad. While the Syrian city of Raqqa is considered the caliphate's de facto capital, Mosul is the largest city under its control. It is the last major IS urban stronghold in Iraq.
A suicide car bomb explosion and gunmen attack in Iraqi al-Qadisiya town situated in west of Najaf, kills at least 7 people and injures more than 17 others. Yesterday, 29 people were killed in a bomb explosion at a busy market in Iraq’s capital Baghdad. ISIS claims responsibility.