Roundup: 27 killed in twin suicide bombings in central Baghdad

BAGHDAD, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) -- Twin suicide bomb explosions struck busy area in downtown Baghdad Monday, leaving 27 people killed and 92 others wounded, as fears rose in the Iraqi capital from a wave of violence months ahead the country's general elections.

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

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

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

"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 Baghdad.

"Most of the wounded 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) group, in most cases, is responsible for such suicide deadly attacks targeting crowded areas in Iraq, including markets, cafes and mosques.

Later in the day, the media office of the Iraqi Joint Operations Command (JOC) warned of attempts to provoke panic among Baghdad residents through spreading rumors of more massive bombings across the city.

"We confirm that there is an organized campaign to spread panic among citizens by claiming false explosions in multiple areas coincided with the cowardly terrorist bombing in al-Tayaran Square," the JOC said in a statement.

"There are parties who want to disrupt the security situation in order to achieve their interests and corruption," the statement said without naming the parties behind such campaign.

A few hours after the deadly attacks, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi ordered 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 massive attacks are the second this year in the city Baghdad, 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 the destruction of 11 cars.

On Dec. 9, 2017, 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