Double suicide blast kills dozens in Iraq

Two suicide bombers killed 30 people and wounded 65 others when they detonated explosive vests in a busy market in a town north-east of Baghdad on Thursday, Iraqi police said.

Police said the second bomber struck as crowds rushed to evacuate the wounded from the first attack, a common tactic used by bombers to maximise casualties.

Suicide bombings are a tactic mainly employed in Iraq by Sunni Arab militant groups such as al-Qaeda.

Iraq has seen a surge in violence over the past month, mainly involving clashes pitting Shi’ite militias against United States and government troops in Baghdad and the south.

But Sunni Arab al-Qaeda has also struck with a number of large suicide bombings in the north.

Iraqi government figures show April was the deadliest month for civilians since August last year. - Reuters