Iraq’s capital hit by suicide attack, casualties reported: says State TV

A rare suicide attack hit a commercial street in central Baghdad on Thursday morning, state television reported, adding that there were “dead and wounded” without giving any figures.

Some reporters heard the sounds of ambulances rushing to the scene.

Police and medics said seven people have been killed in the attack so far.

After years of deadly sectarian violence, suicide bombings have become relatively rare in the capital. The last such attack took place in June 2019 and left several people dead.

The attack was not immediately claimed but suicide attacks have been used by armed groups, most recently the Islamic State organisation.

Iraq declared IS defeated at the end of 2017 after a fierce three-year campaign.

But the group’s sleeper cells have continued to operate in desert and mountain areas, typically targeting security forces or state infrastructure with low casualty attacks.