A car bomb in Baghdad on Wednesday morning killed dozens of people, in an attack that has been claimed by the Islamic State, NPR's Alison Meuse reports.
The death toll is at least 62, Alison says, citing Iraqi authorities.
"Iraq's Interior Ministry says more than a third of the victims were women and children," she reports. "The attack comes as Iraqi forces press offensives against ISIS. According to U.S. estimates, ISIS lost 40 percent of its territory in Iraq over the past year. But it is still capable of carrying out attacks in the capital."
The Associated Press says at least 65 people were wounded in the car bombing. The wire service, citing two police officers, says the explosion struck "a crowded outdoor market in Baghdad's eastern district of Sadr City."
Sadr City is a predominately Shiite neighborhood. The BBC's David Bamford reports it's frequently attacked by the Islamic State — a Sunni militant group.
"They regard the Shia Muslims as heretics, and they're seeking to undermine the government's efforts to maintain security," he says.
Wednesday's attack was the deadliest to strike Baghdad in months, The Washington Post reports.
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