Dozens Die in Twin Baghdad Bombings

A pair of suicide bombings minutes apart hit a central Baghdad market on Saturday, killing 28 people and wounding at least 54, prompting security forces to ban traffic from key streets at the center of the Iraqi capital, police and hospital officials, the AP reports. The twin attacks hit al-Sinak, a busy market selling car accessories, food and clothes as well as agricultural seeds and machinery. Minutes after the first suicide bomber detonated his explosives-laden belt, the second one struck amid the crowd that gathered, according to the officials.

ISIS claimed responsibility for the attacks in a statement posted by its Aamaq news agency, confirming that the blasts came from a pair of suicide bombers. Later on Saturday, three separate attacks in and around Baghdad killed eight people and wounded 17. Those killed included one policeman. The attacks came after Iraqi forces moved into the second phase of the operation to retake Mosul following weeks of deadlock, Reuters reports. (More Iraq stories.)