ISIL claims responsibility for deadly Iraq bombing

Dozens of people have been killed for a second day in a row in Iraq as government forces continue to battle fighters in the western province of Anbar.

A suicide bomber blew himself up at a funeral on Monday in Miqdadiyah, a town northeast of Baghdad, killing at least 38 people and injuring scores more.

Later, at least eight security-force personnel were killed in attacks targeting a checkpoint in the western Baghdad suburb of Abu Ghraib, police sources said. 

Monday’s violence follows one of Iraq’s bloodiest days in recent weeks, with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group claiming responsibility for attacks in different places.

Two commanders killed

The Miqdadiyah attack targeted a funeral for a well-known Shia member of the Beni Tamim, one of the main tribes in Diyala province.

Sadiq al-Husseini, the head of the Diyala security committee, said a commander from Asaib Ahl al-Haq and another from Badr – two powerful Shia armed units – were killed in the blast.

Officials in Diyala appealed for calm in the aftermath of the attack.

Residents should “join hands to get out of the current crisis”, said Ali al-Tamimi, the head of the Miqdadiyah district council.

Muthanna al-Tamimi, Diyala’s governor, said: “Miqdadiyah will not fall into the trap of sectarian strife promoted by some politicians.”

ISIL, which has seized territory both in Iraq and Syria, claimed responsibility in an online statement, saying a suicide bomber who detonated an explosive belt targeted a gathering of militia members.

The statement listed the names of some who were allegedly killed.

The attack in Miqdadiyah happened just hours after 16 Iraqi army soldiers and tribal fighters were killed in a village south of Fallujah, in Anbar, after shelling of their barracks.

According to a statement released by the US defence department, American forces are expected to “do more” to help Iraqi troops fighting to retake Mosul than they did in the fight for Ramadi, the provincial capital of Anbar.

Sunday’s violence

In Sunday’s worst attack, two roadside bombs had targeted a market in Sadr City, a predominantly Shia neighbourhood north of Baghdad, killing at least 70 people.

The explosions left 100 people injured in addition to the deaths.

Elsewhere, government troops and policemen came under attack from ISIL.

In Abu Ghraib, west of Baghdad, a number of policemen were kidnapped after an attack there.

A nearby village was also raided by ISIL, military sources told Al Jazeera.