Rudaw reporter describes grisly Baghdad bomb site

BAGHDAD ,Iraq - A tense clam has descended on Baghdad's Sadr City after a massive early Thursday bomb blast killed at least 60 people, reports Rudaw's Behman Hassan from the scene of the attack. 

"A huge force has been deployed in the neighborhood of Sadr City, including the armed wing of the Sadr Movement called Saraya Salam [The Peace Group]," said Hassan by phone from the Iraqi capital. 

Hassan said all the gates toward the neighborhood have been blocked off and a curfew has been declared until further notice.

Rudaw's reporter said the massive blast, which has been now claimed by the Islamic State, was the result of a refrigerated truck that was rigged with "tons" of explosives. A police official told the Reuters news agency that body parts were found on the tops of buildings. 

"I was able to speak to some witnesses at the site of the explosion. They said the explosion went off in font of the biggest market in the neighborhood called Alwa Jamila. I talked to some locals who said there would be more explosions expected to occur today, but officials said they would control the situation and would not allow any other car to enter the neighborhood," Hassan reported.  

Hassan said the Baghdad government claimed the explosion in a highly secured neighborhood was not expected, adding that the number of killed or wounded could ultimately exceed 300. 

"People were all shocked by the explosion, government offices in nearby areas are all closed," Hassan said.    

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