Another attack occurred earlier in the day when a suicide bomber detonated his explosive vest at a popular restaurant in New Baghdad district in the southeastern part of the capital, killing six people and wounding 21, according to the source.
The toll could rise as ambulances and police vehicles evacuated the casualties to nearby hospitals and medical centres, the source added. No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack but the Islamic State militant group, in most cases, is responsible for such suicide attacks in the country.
The attacks came on the day that the Iraqi government decided to lift the night-time curfew imposed on the Iraqi capital for years and to disarm the Baghdad districts of Kadhmiyah, Adhamiyah, Mansour, Karrada and Saidiyah. The government’s decision to ease security measures was seen as a sign of security improvement in the Iraqi capital, after about six months of Abadi’s appointment as prime minister. (IANS)