Iraq government has declared three days of national mourning after a huge bomb in the capital Baghdad killed more than 347 people and wounded about 200.
The security committee in Baghdad Provincial Council stated on Sunday that the casualties of the suicide bombing that occurred in Karrada have increased to 347, while informed that the resources available with Ministry of Defense is not enough and that they are not capable of managing security in the capital, report Iraqi News
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The Deputy Chairman of the security committee of Baghdad Provincial Council Mohamed al-Robaie said, “The toll in the bombing at Karrada in central Baghdad today morning has risen and so far 167 people have been proclaimed dead and the numbers of injured have reached to 180, the numbers are expected to rise further.”
Adding further Robaie said, “The resources available with Ministry of Defense is not enough and the ministry is not capable of managing security of Baghdad. The security committee has repeatedly emphasized that the checkpoints are useless because keeping security in the capital and other provinces is not relying on the presence of a fixed security troops,” adding, “We don’t have real intelligence services.”
A lorry packed with explosives was detonated in the Karrada district while families, many of the victims shopping were women and children, who were inside a multi-storey shopping and amusement mall for the holiday marking the end of Ramadan.
Rescuers said whole families had been wiped out and many victims were burned beyond recognition.
There were fears the death toll could rise as more bodies could be lying under the rubble of devastated buildings.
The bombing at around midnight on Saturday was the deadliest in Iraq this year.
A second bomb exploded shortly afterwards in another predominantly Shia area north of the capital, killing another five people and wounding 16 others.
Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi condemned the bombings and declared three days of mourning across the country after visiting the scene of the attack.
The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant group claimed the responsibility for the attack.
Jan Kubis, the UN envoy for Iraq, said the attack was a an attempt by ISIL to avenge losses on the battlefield.
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has ordered changes to Baghdad security measures, including withdrawing fake hand-held bomb detectors from use.
A news agency reports that these detectors do not detect anything, except by chance.
The Prime Minister also directed that the Interior Ministry to speed up the deployment of the “Rapiscan device for searching vehicles” at all entrances to Baghdad — an apparent reference to truck-based scanners from Rapiscan Systems.
He also ordered security personnel manning checkpoints not to use their mobile phones while on duty, which reduces the effectiveness of the many checkpoints scattered around Baghdad. Other measures include stepping up aerial reconnaissance and intelligence efforts, increasing coordination among security forces and reorganising checkpoints in the capital.