Suicide bombers kill 38, injure 100 in Baghdad
Attack comes after victory claimed over Islamic State.
Twin suicide BAGHDAD — bombings rocked Baghdad on Monday, killing 38 people in the deadliest attack since Iraq declared victory over the Islamic State group last month, and raising fears ahead of national elections planned for May.
The bombers targeted the bustling Tayran Square, in the heart of the capital, setting off their explosive vests among laborers and street vendors during the morning rush hour. More than 100 peo- ple were wounded, according to police and hospital offi- cials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media.
No one has claimed the attacks, but they bore the hallmarks of IS.
Iraqi forces have driven IS from all the territory the extremists once held, but the militant group has proven resilient and is likely to continue carrying out. That could undermine Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, who hopes to extend the country’s newfound sense of pride and unity in order to lead a diverse coa- lition to power in May.
Ambulances rushed to the scene as security forces sealed off the area with yellow tape.
Slippers could be seen scattered about on the blood- stained pavement. “I felt the ground shaking under my feet,” said Munthir Falah, a secondhand clothes vendor whose chest and right leg were pierced by shrapnel.
The father of three said government forces had failed to secure the capital. “They think that Daesh is done,” he said, referring to IS by an Arabic acronym. “They don’t bother themselves to exert efforts to secure Baghdad.” Einas Khalil, a Baghdad housewife, blamed the security breakdown on politicians, many of whom are connected to state-sanctioned militias or branches of the security forces. “We were expecting this because of the upcoming elections,” she said. “Every four years we have to live through this suffering because of political differences and disagreements.”