Bombings Kill 13 in Shiite Areas of Baghdad

Bombs exploded in two Shiite-majority areas of Baghdad on Monday, killing at least 13 people, security and medical officials said.

A car bomb detonated near a market in the Ameen area of eastern Baghdad, and a roadside bomb exploded near a restaurant in Shaab in the north of the city.

The two attacks wounded at least 44 people, the officials said.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but bombings in Baghdad are often carried out by the Islamic State jihadist group, which overran swathes of Iraq in June last year.

IS frequently targets members of the country's Shiite majority, whom it considers heretics.

But bombings in Baghdad are much less frequent than they were before the 2014 jihadist offensive, probably because the militants are occupied with operations elsewhere.

Iraqi forces backed by a U.S.-led coalition and Iran have managed to regain significant ground north of Baghdad from IS, but much of western Iraq remains outside government control.