Baghdad, Feb 29 (IANS) : At least 23 people were killed and 59 others injured in back-to-back explosions in the east of Baghdad on Sunday, an Interior Ministry said.

"The latest reports said that 23 people were killed and 59 injured in the twin bomb attacks in Mreidy Market in Sadr City district," Xinhua cited sources as saying.

The incident occured when a booby-trapped motorcycle went off at the crowded popular marketplace in the predominantly Shia district of Sadr City in eastern Baghdad, the source said.

Minutes later, a suicide bomber blew up his explosive vest at the scene, the source added.

The powerful blasts destroyed several nearby shops and many stalls and set fire to several civilian cars, he said.

The attackers apparently followed the old tactic of first creating an initial explosion to attract security forces and people, and then setting off another blast to inflict heavier casualties.

Earlier, a UN report estimated more than 22,300 people were killed or injured in armed conflicts in Iraq in 2015.

21 killed in Somalia blasts

Mogadishu, Feb 29 (IANS) : At least 21 people were killed and several others injured in twin expositions in Baidoa town in Bay region of southern Somalia on Sunday, police and witnesses said.

Mohamed Olow, a police officer in Baidoa, told Xinhua a car bomb exploded first in a popular restaurant while the second attack was carried out by a suicide bomber in the town.

"The first blast which used by car bomb targeted a popular restaurant and the second blast carried out by suicide bomber hit another restaurant frequented by government officials. The death toll now is 21 people, most of them civilians," Olow was quoted as saying.

The police officer noted that the death toll could rise and they are still establishing more details on the incident.