At least 4 killed, 15 wounded in Baghdad bomb blast

At least four people were killed and 15 wounded in a suicide attack in Iraq’s capital Baghdad today, a military spokesman told Reuters.

The attack took place in the predominantly Shia Shula district, in northwest Baghdad.

According to a statement from Iraq’s National Security media centre, the attacker detonated an explosive vest after he was besieged by security forces at the entrance to the Saqlawiyah park, resulting in the death and injury of “a number of civilians”.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, though it bore the hallmarks of Daesh.

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Iraq declared victory over the hardline Sunni militant group in December 2017. Although the group has largely been defeated, it continues to carry out sporadic attacks and operate limited cells in the country, particularly in the north, around Iraq’s second city Mosul.

Daesh has claimed previous attacks against security forces and in public places in mainly Shia dominated areas. Earlier this month, the group claimed a deadly gun attack in Tarmiya, an area 25 kilometres north of Baghdad.