Twin blasts in Iraq kill 21, wound dozens

The blast came hours after a bomb exploded in the city of Karbala, wounding five people.

A suicide attacker blew himself up in a market south of the capital Baghdad on Friday, killing at least 21 people while another bomb in a nearby city wounded five others, police and medical officials said. 
Explosions are common in Iraq and have killed hundreds of people this year alone. The blasts have been ongoing as government forces and their allies have scored victories against the Daesh group that has claimed responsibility for much of the attacks.
The officials said the Friday morning blast in a market in the village of Musayyib killed 21 and wounded 30. The medical officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.
"It was a very ugly incident," said Falah Khafaji, head of the security committee in the southern province of Babil where Musayyib is located. He added that the attack occurred as people were out shopping during Ramadan, the Muslim holy month of fasting. 
The blast came hours after a bomb exploded in the city of Karbala near Mussayyib, wounding five people.
Shortly after the two blasts occurred, the Daesh-linked Aamaq news agency said the group was behind both attacks. It said both were carried out by suicide attackers wearing explosive vests.

• MENA