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world news Diabierna 22 Januari 2021

Twin suicide bombings rock central Baghdad, at least 32 dead

to spread fear and violence since an informal truce was
aimed at undermining peace, declared by Iran-backed
stability and unity,” U.N. armed groups in October.
spokesman Stephane Dujar- The style of Thursday’s as-
ric said. sault was similar to those IS
The U.N. chief called on the has conducted in the past.
government “to ensure that But the group has rarely been
those behind these horrific able to penetrate the capi-
crimes are swiftly identified tal since being dislodged by
and brought to justice,” Du- Iraqi forces and the U.S.-led
jarric said. coalition in 2017. For some it
(AP) — Twin suicide of dead at 28. The Health fering many blows in military Thursday’s twin suicide brought back painful memo-
bombings ripped through Ministry announced that all operations to root out the bombings marked the first ries from the height of Iraq’s
a busy market in the Iraqi of its hospitals in the capital militants. in three years to target Bagh- sectarian street wars, when
capital on Thursday, kill- were mobilized to treat the At the Vatican, Pope Fran- dad’s bustling commercial suicide bombings were a
ing at least 32 people and wounded. cis denounced the attack in district. A suicide bomb at- near-daily occurrence.
wounding dozens, offi- Maj. Gen. Tahsin al-Khafaji, Baghdad as a “senseless act tack took place in the same IS has shown an ability to
cials said in what was the spokesman for the Joint Op- of brutality” and urged Iraqis area in 2018 shortly after stage increasingly sophisti-
first massive bombing in erations Command, which to keep working to replace then-Prime Minister Hai- cated attacks across northern
years, harkening back to includes an array of Iraqi violence with fraternity and dar al-Abadi declared victory Iraq, where it still maintains
darker days of rampant forces, said the first suicide peace. The telegram of con- over the Islamic State, a Sun- a presence, three years after
militant attacks. bomber cried out loudly that dolences sent to the Iraqi ni militant group. Iraq declared victory over the
he was ill in the middle of the president was particularly Iraq has seen assaults per- group.
The rare suicide bombing hit bustling market, prompting a heartfelt, given Francis is due petrated by both the Islamic Iraqi security forces are fre-
the Bab al-Sharqi commercial crowd to gather around him to visit Iraq in early March to State group and mostly Shi- quently ambushed and tar-
area in central Baghdad amid — and that’s when he deto- try to encourage the coun- ite militia groups in recent geted with IEDs in rural areas
heightened political tensions nated his explosive belt. try’s Christian communities months. Militias have rou- of Kirkuk and Diyala. An in-
over planned early elections The second detonated his that have been devastated by tinely targeted the American crease in attacks was seen last
and a severe economic crisis. belt shortly after, he said. IS persecution. presence in Iraq with rocket summer as militants took ad-
Blood was splattered on the “This is a terrorist act per- U.N. Secretary-General and mortar attacks, especially vantage of the government’s
pavement of the busy mar- petrated by a sleeper cell of Antonio Guterres strongly the U.S. Embassy in Bagh- focus on tackling the corona-
ket amid piles of clothes and the Islamic State,” al-Khafaji condemned the Baghdad at- dad’s heavily fortified Green virus pandemic.
shoes as survivors took stock said. He said IS “wanted to tack and appealed to the Iraqi Zone. The pace of those at- The twin bombings Thurs-
of the disarray in the after- prove its existence” after suf- people “to reject any attempts tacks, however, has decreased day came days after Iraq’s
math. government unanimously
By sundown, crowds reap- agreed to hold early elections
peared at the site of the deadly in October. Prime Minister
attack, carrying the coffins of Mustafa al-Kadhimi had an-
the deceased in a show of de- nounced in July that early
fiance. Many questioned the polls would be held to meet
timing of the attack, which the demands of anti-govern-
occurred a day after President ment protesters.
Joe Biden was sworn into of- Demonstrators took to the
fice. The U.S.-led coalition streets in the tens of thou-
recently ceased combat activ- sands last year to demand po-
ities and is gradually drawing litical change, and an end to
down its troop presence in rampant corruption and poor
Iraq, sparking fears of an IS services. More than 500 peo-
resurgence. ple were killed in mass dem-
No one immediately claimed onstrations as security forces
responsibility for the attack, used live rounds and tear gas
but Iraqi military officials to disperse crowds.
said it was the work of the Is- Iraq is also grappling with
lamic State group. a severe economic crisis
Iraq’s health minister Has- brought on by low oil prices
san Mohammed al-Tamimi that has led the government
said at least 32 people were to borrow internally and risk
killed and 110 were wounded depleting its foreign currency
in the attack. He said some reserves. The Central Bank
of the wounded were in seri- of Iraq devalued Iraq’s dinar
ous condition. Iraq’s military by nearly 20% last year to
previously put the number meet spending obligations.