Twin attacks in southern Iraq, at least 50 died, more than 80 injured

At least 50 people have been killed in twin attacks in southern Iraq.  A suicide bomber blew up its vest in addition to gunmen opened fire in a restaurant near Nasiriya, capital of Dhiqar province, as per security forces. Shortly afterwards, a car bomb exploded at a close by the checkpoint. So-called Islamic State supposed it carried out the attacks. Shia Muslim pilgrims counting Iranians are considered to be amongst the dead.

More than 80 populace were wounded in the attacks, numerous of them critically, and the death toll could increase, as per the health officials. The militants were purportedly dressed in uniform as members of Hashd- al-Shaabi, a predominately Shia group well-known to brawl next to Iraqi forces adjacent to the so-called Islamic State. IS asserted liability for the attacks on the website for its news agency, Amaq.

Unverified reports assumed police officers had died in the checkpoint attack. However, the total number of dead from that occurrence is not identified. Afterwards, rescuers cleared away burned bodies, vehicles in addition to twisted scraps of metal from uneven shelters.

IS are continuing defeat following defeat on front lines in together Iraq and Syria, but they remain competent of launching shocking assaults on soft targets. It is still supposed to have hundreds of followers prepared to hold out attacks.

Though such attacks are comparatively rare in southern Iraq, and Dhiqar province has previously been spared some of the worst of Iraq’s aggression. The region targeted is on the main road frequented by Shia pilgrims as well as visitors from Iran on their way to the holy cities of Najaf along with Karbala to the north.

The provincial governor, Yahya al-Nassiri, told media, the majority of the dead were most likely Iranian visitors who were in the restaurant.

The most recent attacks follow a sequence of setbacks that ISIL, also known as ISIS, has faced at the hands of US-backed Iraqi forces.  In July, Iraq retook power of Mosul, a key ISIL stronghold in the north, following a campaign of almost nine months. In August, Iraqi forces displaced ISIL from 70 % of Tal Afar in northwest Iraq.

Al Jazeera’s Khan also alleged that “This is a message actually from the ISIL group proverbs that you may have flattened us in Tal Afar and Mosul and bounded us in Hawija, although we are still capable of attacking you in places that you wouldn’t expect.”