IS suicide bomber strikes Baghdad funeral tent, killing 35
BAGHDAD — A suicide bomber struck a funeral gathering in Baghdad on Saturday, killing at least 35 people and wounding more than 60, Iraqi police and hospital officials said.
The attack in the Shaab neighbourhood occurred around lunchtime, the officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility in a statement carried by its Aamaq news agency.
Hussein Khazem, the owner of a nearby clothing warehouse, said the bomber detonated his payload inside a funeral tent, causing a big explosion.
He saw a large number of killed and wounded people, many burning cars and major damage to the local market. The dead included elderly people, children, and some women. He said he closed his shop to help evacuate the wounded and remove the bodies.