Iraqi officials say that at least 75 people have been killed in a car bombing carried out by the Islamic State (IS) extremist group in the center of Baghdad.

The casualty figures were confirmed by police and hospital officials, who spoke anonymously because they were not authorized to release information to the press.

In an online statement, IS claimed responsibility for the attack in the early hours of July 3, which struck a busy shopping district of the capital.

The statement could not be independently verified. The bombing hit as families and young people were out on the streets of the Karada district after breaking their Ramadan fast.

A second bomb attack in eastern Baghdad on July 3 killed five people and wounded 16. The attacks come after Iraqi forces retook the city of Fallujah from IS.

Source: rferl.org

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