VIDEO: Twin IS suicide attacks in Baghdad kills 12

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24) – Twin suicide bombings at a shopping mall in eastern Baghdad claimed by the Islamic State (IS) killed 12 people, police and hospital sources said on Friday.

Over 40 people were injured in the two suicide attacks at Nakheel Mall across from the Oil Ministry of Iraq in Baghdad, according to a source from a hospital.

One of the bombs blew up at the entrance to the mall while the other one was detonated in the parking area.

Following the attacks, ambulances rushed to the scenes and transferred the wounded people to the nearest hospital.

IS released a statement online on Amaq news agency claiming responsibility for the attacks.

The insurgents revealed one of the suicide bombers wore a vest, and the other was in a car, targeting a gathering of Shia people on the Palestine Street in Baghdad.

The jihadist group has been losing territorial control in Iraq since their emergence in June 2014.

Baghdad is one of the most targeted provinces in the country.

According to the United Nations’ Assistance Mission for Iraq’s (UNAMI) monthly report, 231 people were killed, and 676 were wounded in August.

Iraqi security forces and Kurdish Peshmerga are preparing a military operation to liberate Mosul, the second-largest city in Iraq, under IS control since June 2014.

According to a recent interview with the President of the Kurdistan Region Masoud Barzani, the Mosul offensive is planned to be launched by the end of 2016.

Previously, the US Presidential Special Envoy Brett McGurk said IS extremists had lost the morale of fighting, and the group continues to shrink in Iraq and Syria.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany