IS claims responsibility for Baghdad twin suicide bombings

BAGHDAD: The Islamic State (IS) terror group has claimed responsibility for the twin suicide bombings at a crowded market area in Baghdad, that killed 32 people and injured 116 others, Iraqi media reports said on Friday.

The group identified the two suicide bombers as Abu Yousif al-Ansari and Mohammed Arif al-Muhajir, who targeted a gathering of Shia people in downtown Baghdad on Thursday, the local media reports quoted an online IS statement as saying.

On Thursday morning, a suicide bomber detonated his explosive belt in a bustling outdoor market for second-hand clothes in Bab al-Sharji area, and a second one blew himself up a few minutes later in the same area.

Later in the day, Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, also commander-in-chief of the Iraqi forces, chaired an emergency meeting with security and intelligence commanders to discuss the security breach in Baghdad.

Following the meeting, a statement by al-Kadhimi's media office said that he launched an investigation into the incident.

Meanwhile, al-Kadhimi also sacked five security senior officials and commanders in the wake of the bombings, according to a tweet by Yahia Rasoul, spokesman of of the Iraqi forces. (IANS)

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