UN chief condemns Baghdad bombing

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — The head of the United Nations on Monday condemned a bombing in a crowded Baghdad market that killed at least 35 people and injured more than 60.

“The Secretary-General strongly condemns the horrific bomb attack targeting civilians at a market in Al-Sadr City today,” read a statement from Farhan Haq, deputy spokesperson for Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. 

“This deadly attack ahead of the Eid al-Adha holiday is a reminder to us all that the scourge of terrorism knows no bounds,” he added.

A bomb exploded in the al-Wahilat market in Baghdad’s Sadr City Monday evening. The market was crowded with shoppers preparing for the Eid al-Adha holiday, which begins Tuesday. At least 35 people were killed and more than 60 wounded, Reuters reported, citing hospital and security sources.

The Islamic State group (ISIS) claimed responsibility. 

“The Secretary-General underlines the need for the perpetrators of this crime to be swiftly brought to justice,” read the UN statement.

Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani has also condemned the bombing and offered condolences to the families of the victims, as have the French foreign ministry and Russian President Vladimir Putin. 

ISIS no longer holds any territory in Iraq, but the militants remain a serious security threat, carrying out attacks on civilian and military targets. On Monday, Iraq’s National Security Service announced the arrest of the “Emir of Baghdad,” one of the most prominent ISIS leaders in the capital.