Bomb blast kills one, wounds four north of Baghdad
Aftermath of Baghdad car bomb explosion. File photo.
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) Five persons were killed and injured in a bomb blast that took place in Al-Taji district, north of Baghdad.
Speaking to Al-Ghad Press website, the source said, “an explosive device placed near the stores on Al-Taji district in Baghdad exploded on Monday leaving one person killed and four others injured.”
The source added that security troops “cordoned off the spot of the blast to prevent approach of civilians fearing they would be targeted by other blasts.”
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI) has said that violence in the country left 1115 casualties, excluding security members, during March. Baghdad was the second most affected province with 84 deaths and 246 injuries, according to the organization’s monthly casualty count.
While several blasts are not followed by a claim of responsibility, Islamic State militants said they had been behind some bloody explosions and attacks that hit the capital in the past months, leaving casualties among civilians and security troops.
Some observers believe Islamic State has been escalating attacks outside the city of Mosul, where the group has been losing ground and personnel since October, so as to relieve pressure by government forces on that front and to divert attention from group losses.