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  23 dead in ISIS attacks in Iraq

23 dead in ISIS attacks in Iraq

AP
Published : Jul 26, 2016, 6:45 am IST
Updated : Jul 26, 2016, 6:45 am IST

A suicide bomber rammed his explosives-laden car into a checkpoint outside a Shia town north of Baghdad on Monday, killing at least 14 people, Iraqi officials said, while a string of bombings in the I

A suicide bomber rammed his explosives-laden car into a checkpoint outside a Shia town north of Baghdad on Monday, killing at least 14 people, Iraqi officials said, while a string of bombings in the Iraqi capital killed nine more people.

Monday’s checkpoint bombing took place at one of the busy entrances to the town of Khalis, a police officer said. The town is a Shia enclave surrounded by Sunni areas in the restive Diyala province.

Eight policemen and six civilians were killed and up to 41 people were wounded, the officers said, adding that the explosion also damaged nearly 20 cars lined up at the checkpoint.

In an online statement, ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack. In Baghdad, separate bomb explosions rocked three commercial areas — Ghazaliya, Bayaa and al-Ameen — later on Monday, killing nine and wounding 26, the police said.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for these attacks, which bore the hallmarks of the extremist group ISIS. Commercial areas and big gatherings of Shia followers are among the most common targets for the extremist group.

Medical officials confirmed the casualty figures. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorised to talk to the media.

Since late 2015, the group has suffered a string of territorial losses, most recently in Fallujah, where it was driven out in June by Iraqi forces after occupying the city for more than two years.

But the extremists have continued to carry out near-daily bombings in and around Baghdad, as well as complex attacks in other countries.

Location: Iraq, Baghdad