The death toll from a car bomb attack at a market in Baghdad, Iraq's capital, has risen to at least 63, Iraqi officials have said.The Iraqi government said on Wednesday it will "defeat the terrorists and ... maintain the security achievements" after the bombing, which occurred in the Shia Muslim neighbourhood of Hurriyah the previous evening.
At least 75 other people were wounded in the blast, security officials said.
Tuesday's attack was the deadliest car bombing since March 13, when a parked car exploded near a bridge in Tahrir Square, killing 18 people.
US blame
Tuesday's attack was the deadliest car bombing since March 13, when a parked car exploded near a bridge in Tahrir Square, killing 18 people. Nobody has claimed responsibility.
Lieutenant-Colonel Steven Stover said the command believed the attack was carried out by a "special group" led by Haydar Mehdi Khadum al-Fawadi, who has been sought by US and Iraqi forces for months.
The US uses the terms "special groups" to describe splinter factions of the al-Mahdi Army, which is led by Muqtada al-Sadr, a Shia religious leader.
Washington has repeatedly accused the Mahdi Army of receiving weaponry and assistance from Iran, Iraq's eastern neighbour.
"We believe [al-Fwadi] ordered the attack to incite [Shia] violence against Sunnis; that his intent was to disrupt Sunni resettlement in Hurriyah in order to maintain extortion of real estate rental income to support his nefarious activities," Stover said.
Amara crackdown
Nuri al-Maliki, Iraq's prime minister, has told security forces to refrain from random arrests of al-Sadr supporters during a new operation against militia groups.
Security forces are due to begin a crackdown in Maysan province and its capital Amara from Thursday.
"The prime minister has ordered security forces not to arrest members of the Sadr movement randomly," a statement issued by Maliki's office said.
"He has stressed that only outlaws must be arrested and he hopes that the Sadr leaders will help in isolating such elements to get rid of them."
Amara is said to be a stronghold of the al-Mahdi Army and a centre for weapons smuggling activity from Iran.
The clampdown on the city follows similar efforts in Basra and Baghdad's Sadr City district.
