4th LD-Writethru: Twin suicide bombings kill 27 in central Baghdad

BAGHDAD, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) -- Twin suicide bomb explosions Monday struck busy area in downtown Baghdad, leaving 27 people killed and 92 others wounded, a police and medical source said.

The two massive blasts were carried out by two suicide bombers during the morning rush hours at a crowded site near al-Tayaran Square where many construction workers usually gather waiting for potential employers, the interior ministry source told Xinhua.

"Our latest reports said that 27 were killed and 92 wounded by the two blast in al-Tayaran Square," the source said.

Earlier, the source said the two blasts were a suicide bombing followed by a roadside bomb, putting the casualties at 16 killed and 67 wounded.

Meanwhile, a medical source told Xinhua that hospitals in Baghdad received the bodies of 27 people and that over 90 others were admitted for treatment from different wounded.

"All the hospitals and medical centers are in high alert to receive the victims of the terrorist attacks in central Baghdad," said Abdul-Ghani Saadon, director general of health department of Risafa area in eastern side of Baghdad.

"Most of the wounded people have received treatment and many of them left the hospitals," Abdul-Ghani told Xinhua.

No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attacks, but the Islamic State (IS) militant group, in most cases, is responsible for deadly attacks targeting crowded areas in Iraq, including markets, cafes and mosques.

Hours after the deadly attacks, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi orders for the security forces to track the extremist terrorists and bring them to justice.

A statement by his office said that Abadi, who is also Commander in Chief of Iraqi forces, held a meeting with commanders of the security forces and the intelligence service of Baghdad and gave his directions "to chase the sleeper cells of terrorists and bring them to justice in order to ensure the security of the citizens."

The car bombing is the second this year in Baghdad city, which has been witnessing tangible improvement in security as the Iraqi security forces managed during the past few months to regain control of strongholds of the extremist IS militant group across the country.

Two days ago, a suicide bomber who detonated his explosive-laden motorcycle at the crowded Adan Square at the entrance of the holy Shiite neighborhood of Kadhmiyah, leaving two people killed and 24 injured, along with destroying 11 cars.

On Dec. 9, 2017, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi officially declared full liberation of Iraq from IS militants after Iraqi forces recaptured all the areas once seized by the extremist group.

Nevertheless, remnants of small groups and individuals of IS militants are still capable of carrying out attacks from time to time. Enditem