Massive Baghdad Car Bomb Kills at Least 55

A major car bomb was detonated today in the Shi’ite al-Bayaa neighborhood of the Iraqi capital city of Baghdad, killing at least 55 people and wounding over 60 others. At attack targeted a car dealership in the area.

ISIS’ media outlet reported the attack to have targeted a “gathering of Shi’ites.” Large car bombings in Shi’ite neighborhoods of Baghdad are nothing new, but this is the highest death toll in a single bomb attack in the city in over six months.

Locals say the car lot always has a lot of traffic in the afternoons, and that there are almost always two or three people standing next to each car. The lot has individual sellers parking their cars for sale as well, which appears to be how the attacker got his car bomb right into the crowded area.

That ISIS continues to be able to launch such large attacks is particularly troubling with officials hyping military gains against ISIS elsewhere in the country. With the group having almost no territory left in Iraq, they appear to be able to attack the capital with relative ease.