Baghdad blast 'kills 18' in Shia district of Sadr City

At least 18 people have been killed in a bomb attack 
on a predominantly Shia suburb of the Iraqi capital
 Baghdad, security sources say.

A suicide bomber detonated a pick-up truck in Sadr
 City, targeting a busy street full of garages and used-
car dealers.

At least 42 people were also wounded in the blast in the eastern district.

Baghdad saw a wave of deadly suicide attacks in the first 
few days of 2017, but the number has dropped recently.

No-one has yet said they carried out the latest attack, although similar blasts have been claimed by so-called
 Islamic State (IS).

The jihadist group has stepped up its attacks since the
 Iraqi army, aided by US-led coalition strikes, launched its campaign to dislodge the group from its stronghold of
 Mosul in the north four months ago.

Wednesday's attack targeted the Habibya area of Sadr 
City, north of the centre of the Iraqi capital, an interior 
ministry official told AFP.

The blast follows a car bomb attack in southern Baghdad 
on Tuesday that killed four people.

On 2 January, 35 people were killed in a bomb blast in 
Sadr City , in an attack claimed by IS.

Iraq's capital has also been hit by violent protests in 
recent days by supporters of Shia cleric Moqtada al-
Sadr,who are demanding changes to the electoral commission that oversees elections.

At least six people were killed in clashes with police on Sunday.