Two car bomb explosions in Baghdad killed at least 80 people and wounded 138 others on Saturday. While the first blast took place in Karrada, a busy central locality, the second ripped through a market in the Iraqi capital’s Shaab area, CNN reported. The explosions took place at a time when most people were outdoors breaking their Ramzan fast.
The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the Karrada explosion. The terror group said in a statement on Twitter that it was targeting Shiite neighbourhoods. Both Karrada and Shaab are predominantly Shiite localities.
Police said the explosion in Karrada killed 79 and injured 133 others, and that firefighters had rescued people trapped in adjacent buildings. One person was killed and five others were injured in the attack in Shaab’s outdoor market.
The Islamic State claimed responsibility for a number of car bombs attacks in Baghdad in May. On May 11, three suicide bombings in the city killed 94 people. Around 150 people were injured in the attacks, and several members of security forces were also among those killed and injured.
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