Iraq Announces Arrest of Terror Cell Responsible for Deadly Baghdad Bombing
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - A Daesh "terror cell" responsible for a Baghdad market explosion that killed scores of people has been arrested, Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhemi announced on Saturday.
The incident caused outrage and revived concerns about Daesh’s (ISIL or ISIS) reach, which lost its final stronghold in Iraq in late 2017 after a grueling war, but still has sleeper cells in remote desert and mountain locations, according to France 24.
The bombing took place on Monday at Al-Woheilat market in Sadr City, a suburb in the capital, and officially killed 30 people, excluding the direct perpetrator.
"We have arrested all the members of the cowardly terrorist cell that planned and perpetrated the attack," Kadhemi said on Twitter, "and they will be put before a judge today."
The prime minister did not specify the number of people arrested, but a source at the interior ministry said the suspects were anticipated to make televised "confessions", a common occurrence for major crimes in Iraq.
Iraq declared ISIL defeated in late 2017 after a fierce three-year campaign and attacks became relatively rare in the capital -- until January this year when a twin ISIL-claimed suicide bombing killed 32 people in another market.
