At least 16 people were killed and dozens injured after an arms depot exploded in the Sadr City district of the Iraqi capital yesterday, security and medical sources said. “An arms depot exploded... The security forces have opened an inquiry to determine the cause,” Baghdad's security operations command said in a statement.

A senior police source said on condition of anonymity that the blast was caused by heavy weapons, including rocket-propelled grenades and shells, belonging to an armed group and stored in a house.