A auto laden with explosives targeted a busy commercial street of in the east of the capital, killing 17 people and wounding over 50, according to an Iraqi police officer.
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One attack occurred in the morning when a suicide bomber detonated his vehicle bomb at a crowded commercial area near a cinema building in Baghdad’s southern district, al-Jadida, killing 19 persons and wounding 63, Xinhua news agency reported. Later, 14 were killed and dozens were wounded at a police checkpoint in a residential area in the northern part of the Iraqi capital.
In a statement posted online, the Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attacks and named the two Iraqi suicide bombers.
A Baghdad health official confirmed the casualty figures. It said at least 70 people were wounded in both incidents. All officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to brief the media.
IS were quick to claim responsibility, although the information could not be independently verified.
By retaking the city, located 40 miles west of the capital, the government hopes to tighten its grip on eastern Anbar, a predominantly Sunni Muslim region of the country.
The bombings are seen as an attempt to distract the security forces’ attention from fighting taking place on the front line.
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The attacks came a day after Iraqi special forces pushed into the IS-held city of Fallujah in a large-scale military operation launched last month.
