A triple bomb attacks in the Iraqi capital of city of Baghdad on Wednesday May 11, 2016 killed more than 160 people with scores of other wounded. At least one the bloody attacks was claimed by the ISIS, a Fox News producer in the region confirms.
The bombings hit the Sadr City and Kadhima districts, and the western part of the city, the producer said.
In the predominantly Shiite neighborhood of Sadr City, a car bomb ripped through a commercial area, killing at least 63 people and wounding up to 85 in an attack that was swiftly claimed by ISIS, The Associated Press reported.
The bomb struck a crowded outdoor market and several of the wounded are in serious condition, prompting fears the death toll could rise further, officials said. Four medical officials confirmed the casualty figures. All officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to talk to reporters.
It was the latest deadly attack to hit the Iraqi capital — a massive bombing that underscored how despite the territorial defeats the Islamic State suffered over the past year, the Sunni extremist group is still capable of launching significant attacks across the country. It has also recently stepped up assaults inside Baghdad, something officials say is an attempt to distract from their battlefield losses.