Islamic State suicide bombings kill 24 in Baghdad market

At least 24 people have been killed in a suicide bombing in a market in eastern Baghdad, Iraqi officials said. Fatal bombing attacks were also reported in towns south of the Iraqi capital.

Twin suicide bombings were carried out in the Shia district of Sadr City. Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attacks. In an online statement the Sunni extremist group said it would continue to target Shia, which it considers heretics.

At least 50 people were injured in Sunday's attack, one of the worst in the Iraqi capital in recent months. The area has reportedly been sealed off to prevent further attacks.

After the first suicide bomber struck, a second detonated a device as people gathered around the site of the initial explosion, police said.

Police also told the Associated Press there were bomb attacks in the town of Mahmoudiya, south of Baghdad, in which three were killed and 10 wounded, and in the southern Dora neighbourhood, in which four were killed.

isis intensified attacks against Shia in Iraq in recent months. On Thursday, 15 people were killed in a double suicide attack at a Shia mosque in Baghdad.

Sunday's attack came hours after security services repelled an attack by Isis militants in the western suburb of Abu Ghraib.