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Two blasts in Iraqi capital leave ‘at least 18 dead’
According to Iraqi officials, at least 18 people had been killed this morning in two large, near-simultaneous explosions in Baghdad. More than 40 people were wounded in the blasts.
The blasts hit the Al-Bunuk neighbourhood of north Baghdad and the residential district of Mansur, in the west of the Iraqi capital.
The Mansur blast was in front of a mobile phone company office. But it was not clear if the office was the target. The site was also close to a popular restaurant.
Violence had increased in Iraq in recent months, with most of the attacks targeting Iraqi soldiers and police.
Iraqi Government figures showed that July and August recorded “two of the highest death tolls since 2008”.
It followed elections in March which had produced no clear winner and created mounting uncertainty. Politicians had failed to reach agreement on a new government.
The United States (US) military withdrew thousands of its soldiers in August and declared an official end to combat operations, though 50,000 soldiers remained in the country ready to support the Iraqi army.
