Iraq: Suicide Attack Kills At Least 21 near Baghdad


Iraq: Suicide Attack Kills At Least 21 near Baghdad

TEHRAN (Tasnim) – A suicide car bomb killed at least 21 people and wounded more than 32 at the entrance to a town northeast of Baghdad on Monday morning, security sources told Al Jazeera.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blast outside Khalis, about 80 km from the capital, but Daesh (ISIL) regularly attacks security forces and civilian areas.

A police officer at the scene said that most of the victims died inside their vehicles while waiting to enter the town.

"We still have charred bodies inside many vehicles including a minibus packed with women and children," the police captain said, requesting anonymity.

Hospital sources said the death toll was expected to rise given the extent of critical injuries.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has come under pressure to improve security since a suicide attack claimed by Daesh earlier this month killed 292 people in central Baghdad, one of the largest attacks of its kind since the US-led invasion in 2003.

Most Visited in Other Media
Top Other Media stories
Top Stories