ISIS Reach Has Extended To Baghdad, As Bombs Explode Outside Luxury Hotels

05.29.2015 | Surge Wire |

The Islamic State claimed responsibility for bombings at two Baghdad hotels Friday.

Car bombs were detonated in parking lots at the Cristal Grand Ishtar and Babylon Warwick hotels in Baghdad Thursday night, killing 15 and injuring 42, reports The Associated Press. The weekend runs from Friday to Saturday in much of the Arab world, making Thursday evening one of the week’s busiest.

A third bomb was found at Babylon Warwick, but authorities defused it.

More attacks are expected in Baghdad as government forces fight to retake Iraqi territory from the Islamic State, according to a spokesman for Iraq’s Anti-Terrorism Apparatus who spoke to The Associated Press.

#Iraq: #IS‘ #Baghdad Province has just claimed responsibility for series of attacks in the city last night. pic.twitter.com/aEiwklYpIA

— Charlie Winter (@charliewinter) May 29, 2015

In eastern Saudi Arabia, the Islamic State took credit for a car bombing outside a Shiite mosque Friday, reports The Wall Street Journal. Security officials approached a suspicious car nearing a mosque in the city of Daman. The attacker proceeded to detonate an explosive device, killing four people.

This is the second assault the Sunni militant group has claimed against Saudi’s Shiite minority in a week. (ISIS Claims Attacks On Two Mosques Hundreds Of Miles Apart)

#SaudiArabia: #IS‘ #Najd Province has officially claimed #Damam Shi’i mosque bombing. pic.twitter.com/e5odUv5GW8

— Charlie Winter (@charliewinter) May 29, 2015

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