A Baghdad bombing claimed by the "Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant" (ISIL) killed 292 people, the health minister said Thursday (July 7th), raising the toll of what was already one of the deadliest attacks in Iraq, AFP reported.
A suicide bomber detonated an explosives-rigged vehicle in a crowded shopping area in Baghdad's Karada neighbourhood early on Sunday, ahead of the Eid al-Fitr holiday marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan.
In a statement issued on Thursday, Health Minister Adila Hamoud said the identities of 177 people killed in the bombing have yet to be determined, while 115 bodies have been handed over to families.
The minister said the process of identifying all of the unknown bodies was expected to take between 15 and 45 days.
The attack also wounded 200 people, Hamoud said.
The blast sparked widespread anger among Iraqis, overshadowing what would normally be a joyful holiday and instead turned it into a time of mourning and sadness.
