One civilian wounded as locally-made bomb explodes in Baghdad

Baghdad (Iraqinews.com) – An Iraqi civilian was wounded Sunday as a locally-made bomb exploded in southern capital Baghdad, a security source was quoted as saying.

Speaking to Alghad Press, the source said, “A locally-made bomb went off near a market in Hor Rajab area in southern Baghdad.”

“The explosion left a civilian wounded,” the source said.

He added that an ambulance carried the injured to a nearby hospital for treatment.

Violence in the country has surged further with the emergence of Islamic State extremist militants who proclaimed an “Islamic Caliphate” in Iraq and Syria in 2014.

The surge in violence between armed groups and government forces has resulted in over 3 million internally displaced persons across Iraq and left more than 11 million in need of humanitarian assistance, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

According to the latest casualty figures recorded by the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), a total of 104 Iraqi civilians and policemen were killed and another 177 injured in acts of terrorism, violence and armed conflict in Iraq in March.

In its monthly statement released earlier this month, the UN agency said the number of civilians killed, excluding police, was 84, while 164 others were injured.

Baghdad was the worst affected Governorate, with 124 civilian casualties (33 killed, 91 injured), followed by Salahuddin with 12 killed and 26 injured, and Anbar with 11 killed and 22 injured.

Though most of the daily bombings go without a claim of responsibility, Islamic State is expected to be behind many.