BAGHDAD: Five car bombs in the Baghdad area, including one near a hospital, killed at least 15 people and wounded more than 45 on Tuesday, security and medical officials said.

One blast hit a car park across the street from Yarmuk hospital in the west of the Iraqi capital, and another exploded near a car park in Mashtal in the city’s east.

South of Baghdad, two more car bombs hit a car park used by taxis and buses in Al-Wahida, while a fifth exploded in a residential area of Mahmudiyah.

Bombings and shootings in Baghdad were once a daily occurrence, but have declined since the Islamic State jihadist group spearheaded a sweeping offensive last June and overran large areas north and west of the city.

That has tied them down in fighting outside Baghdad that distracts from their ability to carry out attacks against civilians in the capital.

Iraqi security forces and allied paramilitaries have regained significant territory from IS in recent months, with backing from a US-led coalition carrying out air strikes and training, as well as from Iran.

Published in Dawn, April 15th, 2015

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