No Filipino casualties so far in deadly Baghdad suicide blasts

THE Philippine Embassy in Baghdad asked Filipinos to remain vigilant following the deadly suicide bombings that killed at least 83 people and injured 176 others in the Iraqi capital on Sunday.

Chargé d’Affaires Elmer Cato said on Sunday that he has not received any information of Filipino casualties in the blasts, which the Embassy described as the deadliest to hit Baghdad this year.

“The Philippine Embassy joins the people of Baghdad in mourning the loss of many innocent lives,” Cato said in a statement.

“In anticipation of more attacks before the end of the holy month of Ramadan, the Embassy reiterates its call for our kababayans in Baghdad and other parts of Iraq to remain vigilant in the coming days and to restrict movement,” he added.

Cato said that about 300 Filipinos are in Baghdad despite the existing mandatory repatriation program after Iraq was placed under Alert IV status in 2014.

In all, around 2,000 Filipinos live in Iraq, 1,500 of them are working in northern Kurdistan region while the rest are in Basra and in the southern provinces of the said country.

The Associated Press reported that two separate bombings ripped the Iraqi capital—first, a car bomb exploded in the shopping district of Karada; in the second, an improvised explosive device was detonated in eastern Baghdad. The terrorist group Isis has claimed responsibility for the bombing in Karada./rga/ac