https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-55760822
The Islamic State takes ownership for the bombing of Iraq’s capital, Baghdad. The bombing was a suicide mission that left 32 people dead and at least 100 wounded. This bombing is the biggest to occur in Baghdad for years. The bombing occured in Tayaran Square and the IS confirmed it was an attack on Shia Muslims in the area. The IS confirmed their involvement through an app called Telegram. These attacks have become less frequent as the Islamic State was defeated on the battlefield in 2017, though some troops still remain in Iraq and Syria. The militant group’s attack comes three years after the last suicide bombing that transpired in the same place.
Obviously, I think that this is a very tragic event, with all the death and destruction present. It is a little bit surprising to see that Islamic State is still acting with extreme aggression in the area even though they were beaten on the battlefield. I was surprised that they would come out and expose their involvement in the bombing, however they are adamant about their hatred from Shia Muslims so I suppose it makes sense. The UN, US, and EU spoke about their disapproval for the actions taken by the group but there was no responsive action taken. I think that it is unsurprising that the major nations and institutions spoke about their distaste but did not do anything to help.
Geographically, Iraq is cut off and has been involved in major conflicts for quite some time. The conflict of religion has plagued the Middle East for hundreds of years. This event occurred in the Middle East, a location known for its instability and friction within the nations there. When examining this conflict through the Levels of Analysis, it is clear that it falls into the Domestic/State level. Though the IS has also been aggressive towards Syria, this particular, tragic incident occurred solely in Iraq.