BAGHDAD—As Iraqis mourned in shock and disbelief, more dead bodies were recovered Tuesday from the site of a massive Islamic State suicide bombing this weekend in central Baghdad, bringing the death toll to 175, officials said.
The staggering figure — one the worst bombings in 13 years of war in Iraq — has cast a pall on the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan and which begins Wednesday in Iraq.
An Islamic State suicide bomber struck Baghdad’s bustling commercial area of Karada in the early hours on Sunday, when many residents were spending the night out, before the start of their dawn fast.
The bombing showed the IS capability for launching attacks beyond the front lines, despite battlefield losses elsewhere in the country.
Police and health officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to release the information, warned that there are still people missing and that the death toll could rise further.
