More than 40 die in twin Baghdad blasts

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At least 44 people died in twin bombings in Baghdad on Friday, Iraqi media reported, while a top Kurdish commander was killed in clashes between Peshmerga troops and Islamic State militants near the northern city of Kirkuk, Kurdish sources said.

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Brigadier General Shink Fatih, the chief of the First Peshmerga Brigade, and five Kurdish soldiers were killed while repulsing a surprise attack by Islamic State jihadists south of oil-rich Kirkuk, a source told dpa on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to media.

“The situation is under control. Daesh targets are being shelled by Peshmerga and bombarded by [US-led] coalition warplanes,” the source said, using an Arabic acronym for the extremist group.

There were no immediate figures on militant casualties.

The Peshmerga, who control Kirkuk, have in recent months recaptured several areas in northern Iraq from the Islamic State group.

The al-Qaeda splinter militia has seized large areas of Iraq mainly in the western and northern Sunni heartland since late 2013.

In August, the United States launched an aerial campaign against Islamic State positions in Iraq.

Earlier on Friday, at least 44 people were killed in twin bombings in a busy market in central Baghdad, Iraqi media reported.

An estimated 70 people were wounded in the back-to-back blasts in the market of al-Bab al-Sharqi district, independent broadcaster Sumaria News said, citing an unnamed police official.

The victims included security personnel who were in the market where second-hand military outfits are sold, according to the official.

No one has claimed responsibility. Previous such attacks were claimed by extremist Sunni groups, including Islamic State, which also rules considerable areas in neighbouring Syria.

GNA

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