The Iraqi police in Ninawa province said Wednesday (September 12th) they thwarted a twin attack involving two car bombs targeting a market west of Mosul.

"A police force discovered two car bombs parked on the roadside in al-Mualemeen area west of Mosul, and summoned an army unit that dismantled the bombs without causing any losses," Ninawa police spokesperson Col. Khalid al-Hamdani told Al-Shorfa.

"The cars were set to target a popular market," al-Hamdani said. "The second was due to be remotely blown up 15 minutes later, after security personnel and citizens gather to evacuate the victims of the first blast."

Al-Hamdani said al-Qaeda was responsible for the planned attack, adding that security forces arrested a suspect who is now under investigation.