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Suicide Bombers Kill Dozens at Wedding Party in Iraq Suicide Bombers Kill Dozens at Wedding Party in Iraq
(35 minutes later)
BAGHDAD — Suicide bombers struck a village north of Baghdad as a wedding party gathered in the evening, killing at least 26 people and wounding scores, a government spokesman said on Thursday.BAGHDAD — Suicide bombers struck a village north of Baghdad as a wedding party gathered in the evening, killing at least 26 people and wounding scores, a government spokesman said on Thursday.
The assault began late Wednesday when an assailant wearing an explosives-laden belt walked into the wedding party at an open area in Hajaj, near the city of Tikrit, about 120 miles north of Baghdad.The assault began late Wednesday when an assailant wearing an explosives-laden belt walked into the wedding party at an open area in Hajaj, near the city of Tikrit, about 120 miles north of Baghdad.
After the bomber detonated his explosives and people scrambled to help the wounded, a second assailant blew himself up at the scene, Ali al-Hamdani, a provincial spokesman, told The Associated Press.After the bomber detonated his explosives and people scrambled to help the wounded, a second assailant blew himself up at the scene, Ali al-Hamdani, a provincial spokesman, told The Associated Press.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attacks, which left an estimated 67 people wounded, but suspicion is likely to fall on the Islamic State group, also known as ISIS or ISIL. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attacks, which wounded an estimated 67 people, but suspicion has already fallen on the Islamic State group, also known as ISIS or ISIL.
The wedding party was being held for a family that had been displaced from Anbar Province, which is in western Iraq and is home to a tribe that opposes the Islamic State group.The wedding party was being held for a family that had been displaced from Anbar Province, which is in western Iraq and is home to a tribe that opposes the Islamic State group.
Islamic State militants captured Tikrit during its blitz across Iraq in the summer of 2014, when the group seized nearly a third of the country.Islamic State militants captured Tikrit during its blitz across Iraq in the summer of 2014, when the group seized nearly a third of the country.
Iraqi forces drove the militants from Tikrit in April 2015, but the Islamic State has continued to stage deadly attacks in and around the city.Iraqi forces drove the militants from Tikrit in April 2015, but the Islamic State has continued to stage deadly attacks in and around the city.
It uses such assaults to distract from its losses, as government forces currently try to retake all of Mosul, Iraq’s second-largest city, from militant control. It uses such assaults to distract from its losses as government forces try to retake all of Mosul, Iraq’s second-largest city, from militant control.
Over the past week, Iraqi forces have fought their way into the heart of western Mosul, which is separated from the eastern sector by the Tigris River, capturing a government complex and the city’s antiquities museum, where militants have destroyed priceless relics.Over the past week, Iraqi forces have fought their way into the heart of western Mosul, which is separated from the eastern sector by the Tigris River, capturing a government complex and the city’s antiquities museum, where militants have destroyed priceless relics.
Mosul also fell to the Islamic State in the summer of 2014, along with large parts of northern and western Iraq, but it is now the only significant urban area in the country under the group’s control.Mosul also fell to the Islamic State in the summer of 2014, along with large parts of northern and western Iraq, but it is now the only significant urban area in the country under the group’s control.