Five dead in Baghdad cafe suicide attack

BAGHDAD: At least five people were killed and several others wounded when a suicide bomber struck a cafe in Baghdad, police said Thursday, in a pre-dawn attack claimed by the Islamic State group.

"A suicide bomber blew up his explosive belt while he was surrounded by police near a public garden in Al-Shoala district," a mainly Shiite northern neighbourhood of the capital, the statement by the security forces said.

IS claimed responsibility for the attack and said it killed 15 people, while naming the bomber as Abu Umar al-Ansari. "He entered into the crowd of apostates and detonated his explosive belt, killing 15... and wounding over 19 others", it said in a statement. A police source told AFP five people had been killed and 16 others wounded in the overnight bombing, which hit people who had gathered after breaking their daily Ramazan fast.

Those killed were a woman, a girl and three police officers, according to the source. Municipal workers cleaned human remains, blood stains and glass from the pavement, while damaged police vehicles were also cleared from the scene.