Suicide bombers kill at least 18 in Central Baghdad - Police

pulse

December 31, 2016 7:57 AM

The blasts ripped through shops in the Al-Sinek area, a police colonel said, adding that at least 38 people were wounded.

Two suicide bombers attacked Baghdad's central Al-Sinek neighbourhood killing at least 27 people and wounding 53, a police colonel said

Two bombs exploded in a busy market area in central

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for what was the deadliest attack to hit the capital since mid-October but the Islamic State jihadist group has claimed nearly all such bombings.

Baghdad has been on high alert since the start on October 17 of an offensive, Iraq's largest military operation in years, to retake the northern jihadist stronghold of Mosul.

The area that was targeted on Saturday is packed with wholesale markets and usually teeming with daily labourers unloading vans and wheeling carts around.

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