Car bomb kills 35 in Baghdad during French president's visit

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French President Francois Hollande's state visit to Iraq was overshadowed on Monday by a car bomb attack in Baghdad. At least 35 people were killed in the blast, Xinhua News Agency reported, quoting a source in the Iraqi Interior Ministry.

Iraq's Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi (L) greets French President Francois Hollande prior to their meeting in Baghdad, Iraq, January 2, 2017. /CFP Photo

Hollande was scheduled to meet with French troops in the country, and hold talks with high level officials including Iraqi President Fuad Masoum. His visit was intended to boost the fight against ISIL both in Iraq and overseas.

"Everything that contributes to reconstructing Iraq is an additional step to avoiding Daesh (ISIL) strikes on our own territory."

- French President Francois Hollande

The blast, which also injured at least 61 people according to Xinhua, took place in the capital's eastern Sadr City district. "No immediate claim of responsibility" was issued, according to Reuters. But ISIL "regularly targets civilian areas" in Baghdad, the report added.

VICTORY MAY NOT COME FAST

During Hollande's ongoing visit to Iraq, he expressed hope for "a year of victory against terrorism." Whether it can turn into reality or not largely depends on whether Iraq has the capability to purge ISIL militants in the country, especially in the city of Mosul, which is currently at the forefront of the fight.

Iraqi forces detain a man suspected of belonging to ISIL in the Al-Intisar area of eastern Mosul during an ongoing military operation against the jihadists, on January 1, 2017. /CFP Photo

Even if the US-backed Iraqi forces manage to win the war, ISIL may still linger in the area and conduct guerrilla attacks.