Explosion in Taji North of Baghdad Linked to War Remnant Blast

An explosion hit Taji, north of Baghdad, on Saturday evening after flames from burning waste at a garbage storage site spread to dry grass, triggering what authorities said was an explosion of a foreign object believed to be an old war remnant. The incident drew immediate scrutiny because of initial claims that a rocket had landed or that an improvised explosive device had detonated. Specialist teams extinguished the fire after the blast and began an investigation to determine the details of the incident. Officials rejected reports that a rocket had fallen or that an improvised explosive device had exploded. The episode occurred in a crowded area where fire conditions quickly spread from burning refuse to nearby dry vegetation, creating the circumstances for the blast. The focus of the inquiry is now on identifying the object and establishing how it was ignited during the fire.