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IS conflict: Dozens killed in Baghdad car bombings IS conflict: Dozens killed in Baghdad car bombings
(about 1 hour later)
At least 82 people have been killed in three car bomb attacks in the Iraqi capital Baghdad, police and medics say. At least 93 people have been killed in three car bomb attacks in the Iraqi capital Baghdad, police and medics say.
The deadliest struck a market in the mainly Shia district of Sadr City during the morning rush hour, killing 64 people and wounding 87 others. The deadliest struck a market in the mainly Shia Muslim area of Sadr City during the morning rush hour, killing 64 people and wounding 87 others.
Two blasts in the afternoon in the northern area of Kadhimiya and in Jamia, in the west, left 18 dead. In the afternoon, two suicide bombers targeted police checkpoints in the northern district of Kadhimiya and in Jamia, in the west, leaving 29 dead.
It is not yet clear who was behind the later attacks, but so-called Islamic State claimed it was behind the first. So-called Islamic State (IS) has said it was behind all three attacks.
The Sunni Muslim jihadist group, which controls large swathes of northern and western Iraq, has frequently targeted Shia Muslims, whom it considers heretics. The Sunni jihadist group, which controls large swathes of northern and western Iraq, has frequently targeted Shia, whom it considers apostates.
Battle for Iraq and Syria in maps
Islamic State group: The full storyIslamic State group: The full story
Many of the victims in the Sadr City attack were children and women, including brides who appeared to be getting ready for their weddings at a beauty salon, Iraqi police and medical sources said. IS crisis in seven charts
Pictures showed vehicles and the facades of several buildings heavily damaged. The target of Wednesday's first bombing was the busy market in Sadr City.
An eyewitness told the Associated Press that the bomb was in a pickup truck loaded with fruit and vegetables. Its driver parked the vehicle and quickly disappeared among the crowd, he said. Police and witnesses said the explosives were hidden under fruit and vegetables loaded on a pick-up trick.
"It was such a thunderous explosion that jolted the ground," Karim Salih, 45, told the news agency. They said the driver disappeared after parking the vehicle in the market, shortly before the massive blast turned the area into an inferno.
"The force of the explosion threw me for metres and I lost consciousness for a few minutes." "It was such a thunderous explosion that jolted the ground," Karim Salih, a 45-year old grocer, told the Associated Press. "The force of the explosion threw me for meters away and I lost consciousness for a few minutes."
Hours later, a suicide car bomb exploded outside a police station in Kadhimiya, a mostly Shia district that is the location of an important shrine, officials said. Many victims were women inside a beauty salon, including several brides who appeared to be getting ready for their weddings, police sources told Reuters news agency. The bodies of two men believed to be grooms were found in an adjacent barber shop, they added.
Both police officers and civilians were among the dead. Sadr City, a huge, largely Shia suburb, has frequently been the target of bomb attacks by Sunni extremists but this is one of the worst, says the BBC's Jim Muir in Iraq.
At around the same time, another suicide car bomb reportedly targeted a commercial street in the Jamia district, which is predominantly Sunni. IS said one of its suicide bombers had carried out the attack, and that it was aimed at Shia militiamen, an account that seems to be at odds with reports from the scene, our correspondent adds.
Angry reaction Hours later, a suicide car bomb exploded outside a police checkpoint in Kadhimiya, a mostly Shia district that is the location of an important shrine, officials said.
In the aftermath of the first bombing, angry survivors blamed the politicians for failing to protect them and ensure security, reports the BBC's Jim Muir in northern Iraq. Both police officers and civilians were among the at least 17 people who died and 43 who were injured, officials said.
The bombing comes in the midst of an acute political crisis in Baghdad, with parliament unable to meet and the government effectively paralysed by factional disputes, he notes. At around the same time, another suicide car bomb targeted a checkpoint in the Jamia district, which is predominantly Sunni, killing 12 people and wounding 31.
IS has frequently targeted commercial areas and government and security personnel, causing heavy casualties. Political turmoil
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. Our correspondent says the bombings come in the midst of an acute political crisis in Baghdad, with parliament unable to meet and the government effectively paralysed by factional disputes.
In February, Iraqi security forces began building a wall around Baghdad in an attempt to halt the group's attacks. In the aftermath of the Sadr City bombing, he adds, angry survivors blamed the politicians for failing to protect them and ensure security.
The UN says 1,885 civilians were killed by violence in Iraq in the first four months of this year.
Recent IS deadly bombingsRecent 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 were young boys who had been in a trophy ceremony.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 were young boys who had been in a trophy ceremony.
March 2016: Fuel tanker is blown up at a checkpoint near Hilla, south of Baghdad, killing at least 47. March 2016: Fuel tanker blown up at checkpoint near Hilla, killing 47.
February 2016: Twin suicide bomb attack in a busy market in Sadr City kills at least 70. February 2016: Twin suicide bomb attack at Sadr City market kills 70.
August 2015: Truck bomb explodes at crowded market in Sadr City killing at least 67. August 2015: Truck bomb explodes at market in Sadr City, killing 67.
July 2015: Car bomb hits a busy market in the town of Khan Bani Saad killing 120. July 2015: Car bomb hits market in town of Khan Bani Saad, killing 120.
"Politicians are fighting each other in parliament and government while the people are being killed every day," Hussein Abdullah, the owner of an electrical appliances store who suffered shrapnel wounds, told AP.
UN envoy to Iraq Jan Kubis warned on Friday that the political impasse was only serving the interests of IS and urged political leaders and civil society to work together to resolve it.
Iraqi pro-government forces, backed by US-led coalition air strikes, have made gains in the western province of Anbar and are preparing for an offensive to retake the northern city of Mosul, but have been unable to prevent attacks in Baghdad.
A government spokesman announced on Wednesday that IS now occupied 14% of Iraqi territory, down from 40% in mid-2014, according to Reuters.
However, the figure appeared to differ with that given by US Secretary of State John Kerry late last month, who told Alhurra TV that IS had lost 44% of its territory.
The UN says at least 3,379 Iraqis were killed in acts of terrorism, violence and armed conflict in the first four months of this year. A total of 741 died in April.
Why does IS target Shia?Why does IS target Shia?
The group considers Shia to be irredeemable apostates subject to punishment by death.The group considers Shia to be irredeemable apostates subject to punishment by death.
Powerful Shia militias, which IS said it had targeted in Wednesday's attack, have also played a vital role in helping Iraqi government forces drive militants out of areas they captured in mid-2014.Powerful Shia militias, which IS said it had targeted in Wednesday's attack, have also played a vital role in helping Iraqi government forces drive militants out of areas they captured in mid-2014.
Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has in the past said the bombings in the capital are "desperate" attempts by IS militants to retaliate for the territorial losses, and analysts say they may increase in frequency as government forces advance on the northern city of Mosul. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has in the past said the bombings in the capital are "desperate" attempts by IS militants to retaliate for the territorial losses, and analysts say they may increase in frequency as government forces advance.
What can't the government prevent attacks in Baghdad?What can't the government prevent attacks in Baghdad?
Vehicle scanners at the entrances to Baghdad have helped reduce the number of co-ordinated car bomb attacks since late 2014. But IS has changed tactics in response, and instead used suicide bombers and bombs planted in public spaces.Vehicle scanners at the entrances to Baghdad have helped reduce the number of co-ordinated car bomb attacks since late 2014. But IS has changed tactics in response, and instead used suicide bombers and bombs planted in public spaces.
The security establishment is also plagued by corruption, and officers are allegedly easy to bribe. Expenditure on security has also reportedly been reduced, with the government's finances strained by the cost of the war against IS and declining oil revenue. The security establishment is also plagued by corruption, and officers are allegedly easy to bribe. Expenditure on security has also reduced, with the government's finances strained by the cost of the war against IS and declining oil revenue.
The authorities have also struggled to secure rural areas ringing the capital - the so-called "Baghdad belt" - where militants are known to shelter. Local Sunnis, many of whom have suffered abuses at the hands of the Shia-dominated security forces or were alienated by the sectarian policies of Mr Abadi's predecessor, have been accused of aiding IS.The authorities have also struggled to secure rural areas ringing the capital - the so-called "Baghdad belt" - where militants are known to shelter. Local Sunnis, many of whom have suffered abuses at the hands of the Shia-dominated security forces or were alienated by the sectarian policies of Mr Abadi's predecessor, have been accused of aiding IS.
IS control in Iraq and Syria
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