Suicide bombs in Baghdad market kill at least 32, hurt 100

Two suicide bombers detonated explosive vests in a crowded market in central Baghdad on Thursday morning, killing at least 32 people in the biggest such attack in several years, according to the government.

The health and interior ministries, which reported the death toll, said that at least 100 were wounded.

“The first suicide bomber blew himself up after pretending to be sick to gather people around him,” said Maj. Gen. Khalid al Muhanna, a spokesman for the interior ministry. The second bomber detonated his explosive nearby minutes later.

Muhanna said authorities suspected that the attackers were connected to the Islamic State terrorist group or an offshoot of it, although no group immediately claimed responsibility.

The Iraqi and U.S. governments have declared the Islamic State largely defeated in Iraq, and the United States is withdrawing most of its troops from the country, saying that Iraq is now capable of fighting the Islamic State on its own.

After the explosions, Prime Minister Mustafa al-kadhimi convened

an emergency meeting of his Cabinet and security officials.

Iraqi security forces are still battling pockets of fighters, mostly in the desert near the Syrian border and in mountain hideouts in north-central Iraq. The Islamic State sleeper cells target mostly security forces. They are a tiny remnant of the group that in 2014 took over one-third of Iraq.

Although Iraqi officials pointed to the Islamic State as the most likely culprit behind the bombings, bystanders at the site worried that political tensions were rising ahead of elections set for October. The vote was postponed from June after election authorities said they would not be ready in time.

“It’s because of the elections — they are fighting for positions,” said Hussein Nahi, a porter who was wheeling goods in a wooden cart when the first bomber detonated his explosives. “This is because of disputes by the politicians, because always when elections are close, we pay the price.”

The outdoor market, near Tayaran Square, was crowded with shoppers buying new and used clothing when the attacks took place.

A few hours after the explosion, fruit and vegetable sellers with stalls piled with oranges and persimmons reopened for business.

HADI MIZBAN/AP A market selling clothes on the streets of central Baghdad was the site of two deadly suicide bombings Thursday, moments apart, that killed at least 32 people and wounded at least 100 others, according to Iraq’s security forces, who blamed Islamic State terrorists or sympathizers.