The Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi announced, two days before his official visit to the United States, that the members of the ‘terrorist’ cell that planned and perpetrated the attack that took place in Baghdad were arrested. The attack, which happened on Monday, left 35 people dead and 50 wounded.

Al-Kadhimi made a tweet saying that "those responsible for the attack claimed by ISIS will be presented today to the law and our people," referring to confessions that will be broadcasted at an unspecified time, according to a security source.

Al-Kadhimi met with the families of martyrs and those wounded in the Sadr City explosion, offering his condolences to them. He stressed that he directed the Ministry of Health to offer all means of support.

رئيس مجلس الوزراء @MAKadhimi : عندما زرت الجرحى في مدينة الطب، وعندما التقيت بكم اليوم كلكم تقولون إننا فداء للوطن، وهذا نابع من وطنيتكم وغيرتكم، لكننا نقول إن العراقيين يستحقون حياة أفضل، ولدينا خيرات نريد أن ينعم بها أبناء شعبنا، إلا أن الصراع السياسي يكبّل أي تقدم. pic.twitter.com/jP3tpwiAW8

— المكتب الإعلامي لرئيس الوزراء 🇮🇶 (@IraqiPMO) July 24, 2021

On Monday evening, an explosion took place in Woheilat Market, Sadr City. The market in which the explosion took place is one of Baghdad's poorest and most populated areas. The explosion inflicted anger and grief, especially that the majority of the victims are children that were shopping for Eid al-Adha.

At least 18 people were killed, 45 others were injured in a bomb blast in a busy market in #Baghdad’s Al-#Sadr city. #Iraq #العراق #بغداد #مدينة_الصدر pic.twitter.com/0sd7avnloe

— osama fleyeh (@OsamaFleyeh) July 19, 2021

This comes as US President Joe Biden is preparing to receive the Iraqi prime minister in DC on July 26. Iraq plans to conduct talks with the United States about the timing of Global Coalition forces' withdrawal from the country.