BAGHDAD — A pair of suicide bombers blew themselves up in central Baghdad early Monday, killing 38 people and injuring more than 100 in the first major attack in the capital since Iraq declared victory over the Islamic State in December.
The attack also breached one of Baghdad’s most secure areas, underscoring the urgency of what Iraqi and American officials have said is a crucial transition from combat to traditional counterterrorism.
There was no immediate claim for the bombings, which came as electoral coalitions began taking shape this week ahead of expected national elections in May.
Previous elections have been marred by spasms of terrorism, and Monday’s violence raised concerns that despite the military victory over ISIS, this campaign season would be no different.
Iraq’s Interior Ministry said the first bomber targeted Baghdad’s Tayaran Square at about 7 a.m., with the second explosion coming less than 10 minutes later. The square is a major way station for commuters and a popular spot for day laborers to gather in the hopes of picking up work.
The second blast is typically used by these insurgent groups to catch police, emergency personnel, and even bystanders gathering at the scene of the initial attack.
Police and hospital officials put the number of deaths at 38, the Associated Press reported. The Health Ministry spokesman said the toll was expected to rise as hospitals in the area received victims in critical condition.
The square is a bustling shopping destination for people looking for discounted clothing and electronics.
Witnesses said the square was beginning to fill up with its usual array of sidewalk vendors, shoppers, and workers when the first blast struck. As people rushed to help the victims amid the wreckage and mangled bodies, the second bomber blew himself up.
Ali Mohammed Jaafar, a 42-year-old attorney, bitterly noted the attackers targeted an area frequented by ‘‘poor people trying to make a living.’’
‘‘We moved the victims using wood carts before the ambulances arrived,’’ Jaafar said. He observed that many of the dead and wounded were young men.
‘‘All of them are young poor people that left families behind with unknown future,’’ Jaafar said.
The blasts raised anxieties throughout the capital, where people had just broken years of caution to publicly celebrate two recent occasions until the late hours and in large numbers.
The evening Iraq’s prime minister, Haider al-Abadi, declared the Islamic State defeated in early December, thousands of Iraqis poured into the streets to wave flags and celebrate. On New Year’s Eve, the streets were similarly bustling with revelers ushering in what they hoped would be a period of calm after the nearly four-year war to uproot Islamic State.
Though major combat operations backed by the United States have ended, pockets of militants have been able to stage attacks in areas they once administered.
Iraqi and American officials said they expect the group to return to traditional terrorism tactics after losing the territory they had controlled.
