12 Dead As Car Bomb Explodes in Baghdad

A car bombing has struck a busy market area in eastern Baghdad, killing at least 12 people, Iraqi officials say. The explosives-laden car went off at the wholesale Jamila market in Baghdad’s Shia district of Sadr City on Monday morning, a police officer said, Al Jazeera reported. The explosion also wounded 28 other people, he said, saying the death toll was expected to rise further. A medical official confirmed the casualty figures. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to journalists. Thick black smoke billowed from the area and people were running away in panic. At the site, twisted metal and shards of glass littered the pavement, along with vegetables and other goods sold at the market. At least one soldier was seen being evacuated from the scene, which was sealed off by security forces. The self-styled Islamic State terrorist group claimed the attack in an online statement on its media arms, the Aamaq propaganda agency.