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| IS conflict: Car bombing at Baghdad market kills dozens | IS conflict: Car bombing at Baghdad market kills dozens |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A car bomb at a crowded Baghdad market has killed at least 64 people, officials say, in one of the worst recent attacks in the Iraqi capital. | A car bomb at a crowded Baghdad market has killed at least 64 people, officials say, in one of the worst recent attacks in the Iraqi capital. |
| At least 87 others were wounded in the blast in the Shia Muslim district of Sadr City during the morning rush hour. | At least 87 others were wounded in the blast in the Shia Muslim district of Sadr City during the morning rush hour. |
| So-called Islamic State (IS) said it had carried out the attack. | So-called Islamic State (IS) said it had carried out the attack. |
| The Sunni Muslim group, which controls swathes of northern and western Iraq, has frequently targeted Shia, whom it considers heretics. | The Sunni Muslim group, which controls swathes of northern and western Iraq, has frequently targeted Shia, whom it considers heretics. |
| Battle for Iraq and Syria in maps | Battle for Iraq and Syria in maps |
| Islamic State group: The full story | Islamic State group: The full story |
| Many of the victims included women and children, Iraqi police and medical sources said. Several of the injured were said to be in critical condition. | Many of the victims included women and children, Iraqi police and medical sources said. Several of the injured were said to be in critical condition. |
| Pictures showed vehicles and the facades of several buildings heavily damaged. | Pictures showed vehicles and the facades of several buildings heavily damaged. |
| In an online statement, IS said it had targeted Shia militiamen. | In an online statement, IS said it had targeted Shia militiamen. |
| 'Thunderous explosion' | 'Thunderous explosion' |
| An eyewitness told the Associated Press news agency that the car bomb was a pickup truck loaded with fruit and vegetables. | An eyewitness told the Associated Press news agency that the car bomb was a pickup truck loaded with fruit and vegetables. |
| Its driver parked the vehicle and quickly disappeared among the crowd, he said. | Its driver parked the vehicle and quickly disappeared among the crowd, he said. |
| "It was such a thunderous explosion that jolted the ground," Karim Salih, 45, told the news agency. | "It was such a thunderous explosion that jolted the ground," Karim Salih, 45, told the news agency. |
| "The force of the explosion threw me for metres and I lost consciousness for a few minutes." | "The force of the explosion threw me for metres and I lost consciousness for a few minutes." |
| IS has frequently targeted commercial areas and government and security personnel, causing heavy casualties. | IS has frequently targeted commercial areas and government and security personnel, causing heavy casualties. |
| 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. | 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. |
| With these deadly attacks, the militants have tried to distract the government from its offensive against them, says Mohamed Yehia, from the BBC Arabic service. | |
| The bombings also exacerbate sectarian divisions between Sunni and Shia Muslims, and help IS to recruit Sunni fighters, he adds. | |
| In February, Iraqi security forces began building a wall around Baghdad in an attempt to halt the group's attacks. | In February, Iraqi security forces began building a wall around Baghdad in an attempt to halt the group's attacks. |
| The UN says 1,885 civilians were killed by violence in Iraq in the first four months of this year. | The UN says 1,885 civilians were killed by violence in Iraq in the first four months of this year. |
| Recent IS deadly bombings | Recent 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 is blown up at a checkpoint near Hilla, south of Baghdad, killing at least 47. |
| February 2016: Twin suicide bomb attack in a busy market in Sadr City kills at least 70. | February 2016: Twin suicide bomb attack in a busy market in Sadr City kills at least 70. |
| August 2015: Truck bomb explodes at crowded market in Sadr City killing at least 67. | August 2015: Truck bomb explodes at crowded market in Sadr City killing at least 67. |
| July 2015: Car bomb hits a busy market in the town of Khan Bani Saad killing 120. | July 2015: Car bomb hits a busy market in the town of Khan Bani Saad killing 120. |
| Why does IS target Shia? | |
| 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. | |
| 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. | |
| 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. | |
| 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 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 | IS control in Iraq and Syria |
| Are you in the area? Did you witness what happened? If you are safe and able to share your experiences email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your stories. | Are you in the area? Did you witness what happened? If you are safe and able to share your experiences email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your stories. |
| Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: | Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: |
| Or use the form below | Or use the form below |