At least nine people have lost their lives after a bomber set off his explosives in the east of the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, media reports say.

The Sunday blast hit the capital’s New Baghdad District, where a morning ceremony was underway marking the lunar month of Muharram, Iraq’s al-Sumaria television’s website reported.

Nearly a dozen people were also injured in the bomb attack.

ISIL terrorist group later claimed responsibility for the criminal attack in Baghdad.

Elsewhere, two women and three children were killed in a booby trap explosion while trying to flee the ISIL-held city Kirkuk in northwestern Iraq.

ISIL unleashed its campaign of death and destruction against the country in 2014, seizing the northern city of Mosul as its main stronghold. A large and multi-faceted operation is due to take place in October to liberate the city.

In another development on Sunday, it was reported that aircraft flown by the US-led coalition struck two villages situated to the north of Mosul, killing 20 terrorists and destroying their positions and supply tunnels.

Source: Websites