Twin Bombings Kill 28 in Baghdad       01/21 06:11

   

   BAGHDAD (AP) -- Twin suicide bombings ripped through a busy market in the 
Iraqi capital Thursday, killing at least 28 people and wounding 73 others, 
officials said.

   The rare suicide bombing attack hit the Bab al-Sharqi commercial area in 
central Baghdad amid heightened political tensions over planned early elections 
and a severe economic crisis. Blood smeared the floors of the busy market amid 
piles of clothes and shoes as survivors took stock of the disarray in the 
aftermath.

   No one immediately took responsibility for the attack, but Iraqi military 
officials said it was the work of the Islamic State group.

   Iraq's military said at least 28 people were killed and 73 wounded in the 
attack and said some of the injured were in serious condition. Several health 
and police officials said the toll might be higher. They spoke on condition of 
anonymity in line with regulations.

   The Health Ministry announced all of its hospitals in the capital were 
mobilized to treat the wounded.

   Maj. Gen. Tahsin al-Khafaji, spokesman for the Joint Operations Command, 
which includes an array of Iraqi forces, said the first suicide bomber cried 
out loudly that he was ill in the middle of the bustling market, prompting a 
crowd to gather around him --- and that's when he detonated his explosive belt. 
The second detonated his belt shortly after, he said.

   "This is a terrorist act perpetrated by a sleeper cell of the Islamic 
State," al-Khafaji said. He said IS "wanted to prove its existence" after 
suffering many blows in military operations to root out the militants.

   The suicide bombings marked the first in three years to target Baghdad's 
bustling commercial area. A suicide bomb attack took place in the same area in 
2018 shortly after then-Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi declared victory over 
the Islamic State group.

   No one immediately took responsibility for Thursday's attack, but Iraq has 
seen assaults perpetrated by both the Islamic State group and militia groups in 
recent months.

   Militias have routinely targeted the American presence in Iraq with rocket 
and mortar attacks, especially the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad's heavily fortified 
Green Zone. The pace of those attacks, however, has decreased since an informal 
truce was declared by Iran-backed armed groups in October.

   The style of Thursday's assault was similar to those IS has conducted in the 
past. But the group has rarely been able to penetrate the capital since being 
dislodged by Iraqi forces and the U.S.-led coalition in 2017.

   IS has shown an ability to stage increasingly sophisticated attacks across 
northern Iraq, where it still maintains a presence three years after Iraq 
declared victory over the group.

   Iraqi security forces are frequently ambushed and targeted with IEDs in 
rural areas of Kirkuk and Diyala. An increase in attacks was seen last summer 
as militants took advantage of the government's focus on tackling the 
coronavirus pandemic.

   The twin bombings Thursday came days after Iraq's government unanimously 
agreed to hold early elections in October. Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi 
had announced in July that early polls would be held to meet the demands of 
anti-government protesters.

   Demonstrators took to the streets in the tens of thousands last year to 
demand political change, and an end to rampant corruption and poor services. 
More than 500 people were killed in mass demonstrations as security forces used 
live rounds and tear gas to disperse crowds.

   Iraq is also grappling with a severe economic crisis brought on by low oil 
prices that has led the government to borrow internally and risk depleting its 
foreign currency reserves. The Central Bank of Iraq devalued Iraq's dinar by 
nearly 20% last year to meet spending obligations.