During the rush hour commute through Adan Square in Baghdad, a suicide bomber detonated an explosive vest early Monday morning. The blast killed 15 people and wounded 45 others. This bombing was the second in just three days. On Saturday, another bombing killed 23 inside of a restaurant in the Jadida district.
Both of these attacks were against Shiite-majority districts of the Iraqi capital, perpetrated by extremists believed to be associated with the so-called Islamic State.
These bombings, and others in the weeks and months prior, have strengthened the resolve of Iraqi and coalition forces to try and push back ISIL-controlled territory. John Allen, the US coordinator for the anti-ISIL coalition of Western and Arab countries, told Jordan’s Petra news agency that Iraqi troops will begin a major offensive “in the weeks ahead.”
“There will be a major counter offensive on the ground in Iraq,” Allen said.
“When the Iraqi forces begin the ground campaign to take back Iraq, the coalition will provide major firepower associated with that,” he said.
The so-called Islamic State gained a large swath of land across Syria and Iraq last June, and their foothold has allowed them to carry about the attacks on Baghdad.
