IS claims suicide bomb attacks in Iraq's Baghdad

The Islamic State (IS) group on Thursday claimed responsibility for the two suicide bomb attacks in Iraqi capital Baghdad that killed 23 people and wounded 73 others, the group said in an online statement.

Two of the group's suicide bombers carried out the deadly attacks targeting the security forces and Shiite paramilitary unit members, known as Hashd Shaabi, leaving a total of 125 people killed and 73 wounded, according to the statement, of which the authenticity could not be independently verified.

Earlier in the day, a police source told Xinhua that a suicide bomber detonated his car bomb in the morning at a crowded commercial area near a cinema building in the predominantly Shiite district of Baghdad al-Jadida, or New Baghdad, in southern part of the capital, killing 19 people and wounding 63 others.

The huge blast set fire to two buildings and sent columns of black smoke above the scene, the source said.

The other attack took place in northern Baghdad when a suicide bomber detonated his explosive vest at the entrance to a military base in Taji area, killing four soldiers and wounding 10 others, the source added.

The IS has frequently targeted the security forces and areas where crowds of people gather, including markets, cafes and mosques across Iraq.

Iraq is currently witnessing a wave of violence since the IS group took control of parts of Iraq's northern and western regions in June 2014.

In May, according to a report by the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq, 867 Iraqis were killed and 1,459 others wounded in acts of terrorism, violence and armed conflicts across Iraq. Endit