Suicide bombing kills 5 in Iraqi capital

By Ibrahim Salih

BAGHDAD (AA) – A suicide bombing killed at least five people in a predominantly Shia area in the Iraqi capital Baghdad on Tuesday, a local police officer said.

A bomber detonated his explosive belt near a marketplace in Baghdad al-Jadida district, east of the Iraqi capital, Hamid al-Mumin told Anadolu Agency.

“Four people plus the bomber were killed in the bombing and 11 others injured in the attack,” he said, expecting the death toll to rise.

While there has been no claim of responsibility, the Iraqi capital has in recent months witnessed violent attacks -- which often target civilians -- on an almost daily basis.

Iraqi authorities blame the violence on the Daesh terrorist group, which still enjoys a significant presence in war-torn Iraq despite having suffered a string of recent military defeats.

Iraq’s security situation has deteriorated markedly since mid-2014, when Daesh captured Mosul -- the country’s second largest city -- along with vast swathes of territory in the country’s northern and western regions.