Death toll in Iraq truck blast tops 124

BAGHDAD—A devastating truck bombing on a bustling commercial street in downtown Baghdad killed 124 people on Sunday, brutally underscoring the Islamic State (IS) group’s ability to strike the capital despite a string of battlefield losses elsewhere in the country.

It was the deadliest terror attack in Iraq in a year and one of the worst single bombings in more than a decade of war and insurgency, and it fueled anger toward Prime Minister Haider alAbadi.

When al-Abadi visited the site of the suicide blast in the city’s Karada district, a furious mob surrounded his convoy, yelling expletives, hurling rocks and shoes and calling him a “thief.”

Many Iraqis blame their political leadership for lapses in secu- rity in Baghdad that have allowed large amounts of explosives to make their way past multiple checkpoints and into neighborhoods packed with civilians.

Karada, a mostly Shiite section, is lined with clothing and jewelry stores, restaurants and cafes.

The blast struck during the holy month of Ramadan, with the streets and sidewalks filled with young people and families after they had broken their daylight fast.

Eleven people were missing and 187 were wounded, authorities said.

Many of the victims were women and children who were inside a multi-story shopping and amusement mall. Dozens burned to death or suffocated, a police officer said. (AP)