UPDATE: ISIS claims huge Baghdad bombing as death toll soars
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - As many as 70 civilians were killed and many others injured Thursday by a massive truck bomb that struck a busy market in a Shiite neighborhood of eastern Baghdad, a Rudaw reporter and media reports said.
More than 70 people are reported dead as the death toll continues to rise. Hundreds are injured.
“A truck bomb was planted on the side of the road in Jameela market located in Baghdad's Sadr City,” said Rudaw reporter Behman Hassan in Baghdad.
The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack, releasing an online statement, according to reports.
Hassan said Sadr City is a Shiite neighborhood and Jameela is one of the most popular markets in the city.
Police officer Muhsin al-Saedi told the Reuters news agency, "A refrigerator truck packed with explosives blew up inside Jamila market at around 6 am. Many people were killed and body parts were thrown on top of nearby buildings."
On July 22, at least four explosions hit separate areas in the city and killed at least 37 people and injured several others.
Ten days earlier, on July 12 a series of bombings hit Baghdad, killing at least 14 people and wounded 41, police officials said.