Two deadly suicide bombings have struck a market in central Baghdad on January 21^st, killing at least 32 people and injuring more than 100 others. The Islamic State has assumed responsibility behind this act.

According to sources, the first suicide bomber complained that he was sick, causing a crowd to assemble around him and detonating his explosive jacket. The second exploded shortly afterward as citizens tried to support the injured from the first explosion.

A spokesperson for the Joint Operations Command, Major General Tashin al-Khaaii stated that “this is a terrorist act perpetrated by a sleeper cell of the Islamic State.” He added that after suffering several blows in military operations, ISIS “wanted to prove its existence” to root out militants.

This comes as the first suicide attack that has struck Iraq’s capital in three years and heightened political tensions in the country, as early elections were planned, in the midst of a worsening economic crisis.

Many questioned the timing of the attack that occurred the day after President Joe Biden was sworn in. The U.S.-led coalition has recently halted its military operations and is steadily reducing its troop presence in Iraq and Syria, which has fuelled fears of the return of ISIS. The U.S. has stated that these killings were “vicious acts of mass murder and a sober reminder of terrorism that continues to threaten the lives of innocent Iraqis.”

Additionally, Pope Francis, who is expected to visit Iraq in March, condemned the bombing as a “senseless act of brutality” and has urged Iraqis to continue trying to replace violence with brotherhood and reconciliation for the stability of peace within the community.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on the Iraqi people to “reject any attempt to spread fear and violence aimed at undermining peace, stability, and unity.” He has also called on the government to ensure that members of the Islamic State behind this act be quickly identified are brought to justice and punished accordingly.

The previous suicide bomb that struck Baghdad’s busy commercial district was in 2018, which killed 27 people. This bombing came shortly after Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi claimed victory over ISIS.

Suicide bombings had been a frequent occurrence in the capital of Iraq but were decreasing after Iraqi forces and the U.S.-led coalition removed ISIS from the territories it retained in Iraq in 2017. However, since then, it has been difficult for the party to reach the capital as a result of strong military defences surrounding its borders.

Prime Minister of Iraq, Mustafa Al-Kadhimi has since announced an overhaul of Iraq’s security leadership, including a new federal police commander and chief in hopes to resolve the deeper issues of trust and coordination throughout the nation. The OWP will continue to monitor this situation closely.