The Islamic State extremist group, formerly known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, yesterday claimed responsibility for the deadliest spate of bombings to strike the Iraqi capital in weeks, saying a “Baghdad cell” helped carry out the attacks.
Seven different explosions in six mainly Shiite districts of Baghdad killed at least 24 people on Saturday, with the group claiming four of the blasts — two suicide attacks and two car bombs.
The group, which last month proclaimed a “caliphate” straddling Syria and Iraq, said the two suicide bombers were a German and a Syrian, and that they targeted checkpoints manned by soldiers, police and allied Shiite militiamen.
Photo: EPA
“Two knights of the knights of Islam and heroes of the caliphate were launched, Abu Qaqa al-Almani and Abu Abdulrahman al-Shami, to destroy checkpoints and dens of the ... government,” it said in an unverified statement posted online.
The Sunni extremist group, which controls large parts of northern and western Iraq since launching a June 9 offensive, carries out frequent attacks in Baghdad.
Saturday’s attacks were carried out “in coordination with a Baghdad cell,” it said.
Two suicide attacks were launched in the Abu Dsheer and Kadhimiyah districts, and two cars stuffed with explosives were triggered in al-Sayidiyeh and al-Baya districts, it said.
The Islamic State claimed a toll of more than 150 dead and wounded, without giving a breakdown.
Police and medical sources told reporters on Saturday that at least 24 were killed and 75 wounded in the Baghdad explosions.
NO HUMAN ERROR: After the incident, the Coast Guard Administration said it would obtain uncrewed aerial vehicles and vessels to boost its detection capacity Authorities would improve border control to prevent unlawful entry into Taiwan’s waters and safeguard national security, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said yesterday after a Chinese man reached the nation’s coast on an inflatable boat, saying he “defected to freedom.” The man was found on a rubber boat when he was about to set foot on Taiwan at the estuary of Houkeng River (後坑溪) near Taiping Borough (太平) in New Taipei City’s Linkou District (林口), authorities said. The Coast Guard Administration’s (CGA) northern branch said it received a report at 6:30am yesterday morning from the New Taipei City Fire Department about a
IN BEIJING’S FAVOR: A China Coast Guard spokesperson said that the Chinese maritime police would continue to carry out law enforcement activities in waters it claims The Philippines withdrew its coast guard vessel from a South China Sea shoal that has recently been at the center of tensions with Beijing. BRP Teresa Magbanua “was compelled to return to port” from Sabina Shoal (Xianbin Shoal, 仙濱暗沙) due to bad weather, depleted supplies and the need to evacuate personnel requiring medical care, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesman Jay Tarriela said yesterday in a post on X. The Philippine vessel “will be in tiptop shape to resume her mission” after it has been resupplied and repaired, Philippine Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, who heads the nation’s maritime council, said
CHINA POLICY: At the seventh US-EU Dialogue on China, the two sides issued strong support for Taiwan and condemned China’s actions in the South China Sea The US and EU issued a joint statement on Wednesday supporting Taiwan’s international participation, notably omitting the “one China” policy in a departure from previous similar statements, following high-level talks on China and the Indo-Pacific region. The statement also urged China to show restraint in the Taiwan Strait. US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell and European External Action Service Secretary-General Stefano Sannino cochaired the seventh US-EU Dialogue on China and the sixth US-EU Indo-Pacific Consultations from Monday to Tuesday. Since the Indo-Pacific consultations were launched in 2021, references to the “one China” policy have appeared in every statement apart from the
A clandestine US Navy special missions unit colloquially known as SEAL Team 6 has been training for missions to assist Taiwan’s defense against an attack by China, the Financial Times said in a report yesterday. The navy commando team famous for killing Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad, Pakistan, has been conducting training to take part in a Taiwan conflict at its Dam Neck headquarters in Virginia Beach for more than one year, it said, citing sources familiar with the matter. “The secret training underlines the increased US focus on deterring China from attacking Taiwan, while stepping up preparations for such an event,”
RSS