First big suicide attack in Baghdad for three years kills at least 32

[webfact]

First big suicide attack in Baghdad for three years kills at least 32

 

The site of a twin suicide bombing attack in a central market is seen in Baghdad, Iraq January 21, 2021. REUTERS/Thaier al-Sudani

 

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Two men blew themselves up in a crowded Baghdad market on Thursday, killing at least 32 people in Iraq's first big suicide bombing for three years, authorities said, describing it as a possible sign of the reactivation of Islamic State.

 

Reuters journalists arriving after the blasts saw pools of blood and discarded shoes at the site, a clothing market in Tayaran Square in the centre of the city. Health authorities said at least 110 people had been wounded.

 

"One (bomber) came, fell to the ground and started complaining 'my stomach is hurting' and he pressed the detonator in his hand. It exploded immediately. People were torn to pieces," said a street vendor who did not give his name.

 

Suicide attacks, once an almost daily occurrence in the Iraqi capital, have halted in recent years since Islamic State fighters were defeated in 2017, part of an overall improvement in security that has brought normal life back to Baghdad.

 

"Daesh terrorist groups might be standing behind the attacks," Civil Defence chief Major General Kadhim Salman told reporters, using an Arabic acronym for Islamic State.

 

A suicide attacker using an explosive vest killed at least 13 and injured some 30 people in a central Baghdad market, police and medical sources said on Thursday.

 

A video taken from a rooftop and circulated on social media purported to show the second blast scattering people gathered in the area. Images shared online, which Reuters could not independently verify, showed several dead and wounded.

 

Thursday's attack took place in the same market that was struck in the last big attack, in January, 2018, when at least 27 people were killed.

 

Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi held an urgent meeting with top security commanders to discuss Thursday's attacks, the premier's office said in a brief statement. Iraqi security forces were deployed and key roads blocked to prevent possible further attacks.

 

Following the urgent meeting, Kadhimi sacked key security and police commanders, deputy interior minister for intelligence affairs, director of counter terrorism and intelligence in the interior ministry and commander of federal police forces, said a military spokesman in a statement.

 

Suicide attacks against civilian targets were a near-daily tactic of mainly Sunni Muslim insurgents during the U.S. occupation of Iraq after the invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein in 2003, and were later employed by Islamic State, whose fighters swept across a third of the country in 2014.

 

By 2017 the fighters had been driven from all territory they held, although they have continued to wage a low-level insurgency against Iraqi forces and attack officials mainly in northern areas.

 

(Reporting by Baghdad newsroom; Writing by Ahmed Rasheed and John Davison; Editing by Peter Graff and Alistair Bell)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2021-01-22

 

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[Tug]

That straight up sucks I hope they crush the (insert the most insulting word you like)creatures that would do such a foul thing

[ezzra]

Iraq and Syria are no man's land whereby multitude of forces, every man and his army and agendas are at odds with each other so no big surprise that such things are happening... 

[Kelsall]

Let's see how 46 handles this.  That's why he makes the big bucks.

[Sujo]

22 minutes ago, Kelsall said:

Let's see how 46 handles this.  That's why he makes the big bucks.

Why should he do anything at all. 

 

Tell me what you think he should do.

Edited January 22, 2021 by Sujo

[simple1]

2 hours ago, Sujo said:

Why should he do anything at all. 

 

Tell me what you think he should do.

 

US forces in Iraq are now down to approx 3,500 personnel, one assumes most in training missions, especially for Iraqi SF. IS have been regrouping with elections occurring later this year, one could expect a heightened level of killing with efforts to destabilise. Whether the Biden Administration will provide addition support for the Iraqis would be a political double edged sword with trump world being delighted; so how to balance regional security needs with domestic political considerations? We know trump and co withheld security briefing for the incoming administration, likely will take a while to develop a suitable strategy. 

 

trump world gloating over the challenges created by trump for the incoming administration are, IMO, despicable.

[onthedarkside]

A post with name calling and profanity has been removed.

 

[Sujo]

5 hours ago, Sujo said:

Why should he do anything at all. 

 

Tell me what you think he should do.

Instead of emojis perhaps you will answer. What do you think he should do?

[Eric Loh]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

"Daesh terrorist groups might be standing behind the attacks," Civil Defence chief Major General Kadhim Salman told reporters, using an Arabic acronym for Islamic State.

But Trump said that ISIS has been defeated. In fact he declared the '100 percent" defeat of the ISIS's caliphate. Accepting fact will be the first thing Biden will incorporate to handle ISIS.  

[Berkshire]

6 hours ago, Kelsall said:

Let's see how 46 handles this.  That's why he makes the big bucks.

What did Trump do in 2018?

 

9 hours ago, webfact said:

Thursday's attack took place in the same market that was struck in the last big attack, in January, 2018, when at least 27 people were killed.

 

[Tug]

9 hours ago, Kelsall said:

Let's see how 46 handles this.  That's why he makes the big bucks.

I think your hero allready surrendered and was withdrawing the means in witch to respond