Twin suicide bombings hit Tikrit, Iraq

Twin suicide bomb blasts hit the Hajjaj village, some 100 kilometres north of the Iraqi city of Tikrit, killing at least 30 people, mostly children, who were attending a wedding.

The first attacker detonated a suicide vest on the dance floor whilst the other targeted people who gathered to help.

Shortly afterwards, two more blasts hit security forces.

The wedding party was held for a displaced family from Iraq’s Anbar province, who are said to be affiliated with an anti-Daesh tribe. Daesh has claimed responsibility for the attack saying that it targeted a gathering of the Popular Mobilisation Forces.

Read: Bomb attack in Iraq targets Kirkuk oil pipeline

The Iraqi army retook Tikrit from Daesh in April 2015 but there have been ongoing outbursts of fighting in the area between fighters and security forces.

The group has carried out similar attacks in response to the Iraqi army’s battle to drive them out. Government forces are currently battling to drive the terror group out of western Mosul.