Kadhimi announces arrest of ‘terror network’ behind Sadr City bombing

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi on Saturday announced the arrest of a “cowardly terrorist network” suspected of carrying out a deadly suicide bombing in Baghdad on Monday. The Islamic State group (ISIS) had claimed responsibility. 

Forces arrested “all the cowardly terrorist network that planned and carried out the treacherous attack on the al-Wahilat market” in Baghdad’s Sadr City, Kadhimi announced. 

“Today they will be put before a judge and before our people,” he added. 

The suspects were arrested in Kirkuk and Anbar, Iraq's Security Media Cell said early on Sunday, and were planning other attacks in the capital - including in Bab al-Sharqi, where a double suicide bombing killed 32 people in January. 

At least 35 people were killed and 60 wounded by the Monday blast in the market that was crowded with shoppers preparing for the Eid al-Adha holiday that began the next day. 

Kadhimi earlier visited victims in hospital and said the government would cover costs of their treatment.

Deadly attacks on civilians were common in Iraq during the sectarian conflict after the US-led invasion in 2003 and also after ISIS swept across the north of the country in 2014.