Baghdad blast killed 292, many burned alive

Baghdad : A Baghdad bombing claimed by the Islamic State group killed 292 people, according to a new toll issued Thursday, many of whom were trapped in blazing buildings and burned alive.

A suicide bomber detonated an explosives-laden minibus in Baghdad's Karrada neighbourhood early on Sunday, ahead of the Eid al-Fitr holiday marking the end of the holy Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.

The blast -- which officials had previously said killed at least 250 people -- was one of the deadliest single attacks in Iraq since the 2003 US-led invasion, which set the stage for more than 13 years of brutal violence in the country.

Health Minister Adila Hamoud said the bodies of 115 killed in the bombing had now been handed over to families, while the identities of 177 others have yet to be determined.

The blast also wounded 200 people, said the minister, who on Tuesday told AFP that the process of identifying the dead -- which she put at 150 at the time -- was expected to take 15-45 days.

People have been furious over delays in determining the fate of their loved ones, and with the number of unidentified bodies now bigger, it may take even longer.

Thousands have come to the site of the bombing to mourn the dead and express solidarity with those stricken by the blast.

The street running between the charred remains of buildings burned in the attack has been packed with people, some carrying Iraqi flags.

Many wept and beat their chests in mourning for the dead.

Some of those gathered at the site on Thursday shouted slogans, while others left candles at the site, which is covered with banners bearing the names of the dead.

And some expressed anger at the government, blaming it for the attack.

"Citizens must remove this government by any means," said Ali al-Yasiri, one of those gathered at the site.

The attack has overshadowed what would normally be a joyful holiday for Iraqi Muslims, instead turning it into a time of mourning and sadness.