On 13 August 2015, shortly after 06:00 local time (03:00 UTC), a bomb-packed refrigeration truck was detonated in Sadr City. As of 13 August 2015[update], at least 76 people were confirmed to have been killed in the bombing, with at least 212 more injured. The market in the Shi'ite neighborhood is one of the biggest in Baghdad selling wholesale food items. This incident caused much resentment against the government for the continued terror attacks in the city.[1][2][3]
Responsibility
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) claimed responsibility for the attack,[1][4] stating that "God has enabled the soldiers of the Islamic State to detonate a parked, booby-trapped truck amid a gathering of apostates in one of their most important Shiite majority strongholds, in Sadr City."[5] According to the group, the attack targeted members of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces, largely comprising Shi'ite militias allied with the Iraqi government. However, CNN reported the top United Nations official in Iraq, Gyorgy Busztin, as saying that the victims were "innocent civilians."[6]
Aftermath
In response to the attack, local residents attacked police and security responders, blaming the government for continued attacks in Baghdad.[7]
Shiite lawmakerHakim al-Zamili, head of Iraq's parliamentary security committee, called for a review of security procedures, including the establishment of local patrols, as well as enhancing the country's intelligence capabilities.[8]