Daesh bombings kill at least 17 in Baghdad — officials

BAGHDAD —Bombings claimed by the Daesh terror group hit shopping areas in Shiite districts of the Iraqi capital on Tuesday, killing at least 17 people, security and medial officials said.

The group said Daesh suicide bombers with explosive vests carried out the attacks in the Baghdad Jadida neighbourhood in the east of the city and the Bayaa area in the south.

Officials said at least eight people were killed and 29 wounded in Baghdad Jadida, although some said the area was hit by a roadside bomb as well as a suicide bomber.

Another suicide bomber targeted the Bayaa, killing at least nine people and wounding 30, officials said.

Daesh and other extremists consider Shiite Muslims to be heretics, and the extremist group often targets civilians in Shiite areas of Baghdad.

Checkpoints in the capital frequently cause massive traffic jams that inconvenience citizens, but they consistently fail to prevent attacks.

For years, most checkpoints featured fake bomb detectors that have now finally been scrapped, and guards wave most cars through unchecked.

Tuesday's violence came two days after another suicide bombing claimed by Daesh killed six people in western Baghdad.