By Ibrahim Salih

BAGHDAD (AA) – At least 70 people were killed and another 100 injured by twin bombings that rocked Iraqi capital Baghdad on Sunday afternoon.

The first bomb tore through a marketplace in eastern Baghdad’s predominantly-Shia Sadr City district, police officer Salman al-Jabri told Anadolu Agency.

Police sources said the suicide bombers were riding motorcycles and blew themselves up in a crowded mobile phone market in Sadr City.

Shortly afterward, according to al-Jabri, a suicide bomber blew himself up in the same area as people gathered to help victims of the first blast.

“At least 19 people were killed in total, including the bomber, while 26 others were injured,” he said.

Daesh [Islamic State] said it was responsible for the blasts: “Our swords will not cease to cut off the heads of the rejectionist polytheists, wherever they are,” it said, using derogatory terms for Shi’a Muslims.

Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said the attacks were in response to Islamic State’s recent defeats: “This gang targeted civilians after it lost the initiative and its dregs fled the battlefield before our proud fighters,” he said on his official Facebook page.

Sunday’s twin bombings come shortly after a spate of attacks carried out by Daesh terrorists in the city of Abu Ghraib west of Baghdad.

Additional reporting by The Muslim News