Just a few days after a suicide truck bomb that was covered in this HNGN article killed six in Afghanistan, another massive truck bomb has exploded in a popular Baghdad food market on Thursday, killing at least 58 and injuring at least 89 people.
The truck bomb ripped through the Jameela market, located in Baghdad's Sadr City neighborhood. The city, which is a predominantly Shia area, has fallen victim to numerous attacks initiated by the Sunni extremist group, ISIS, according to BBC News.
One of the officers who responded to the scene, who chose to remain anonymous, has stated that the timing of the detonation was very well planned. "On Thursdays the market is especially crowded because people come from the other provinces to stock up on food for the weekend," the officer stated.
The officer further added that the vehicle that was detonated was a regular refrigeration truck. Thus, it was impossible to distinguish it from the other trucks in the area, reports The Los Angeles Times.
Residents in the area responded promptly after the detonation, aiding the injured by sending them to local hospitals in their personal cars. A number of people have even aided in the cleanup, carrying corpses in garbage bags as ambulances sent the injured to medical facilities.
Due to the size of the explosion, fire men who responded were still dousing the area with water long after the blast. Much of the market was also incinerated, with wooden stalls completely wiped out and produce scattered in the area.
No group has claimed responsibility for the deadly attack yet.
