At least 58 dead, 75 wounded in Iraq church standoff

A hostage standoff at a Catholic church in Baghdad left at least 58 people dead and 75 wounded, most of them women and children, according to CNN. The standoff began Sunday night before an evening mass at the church. Two priests, 17 security officers and five gunmen are also among the dead at the Sayidat al-Nejat church.

The hours-long standoff ended after Iraqi security forces stormed the church. Eight suspects were arrested.

The gunmen entered the church before the Sunday night services and a priest brought them into a back room, survivors said. Most of the casualties were from explosive devices that the gunmen detonated right before Iraqi forces stormed the church.

At least 120 people were taken hostage.

The gunmen seized the hostages after attacking the Baghdad stock exchange earlier Sunday afternoon. The gunmen took the hostages in order to gain the release of specific Iraqi detainees and prisoners inside Iraq and Egypt prisons.

The umbrella group The Islamic State of Iraq, which includes a number of Sunni extremist organizations and has ties to al Qaeda, claimed responsibility for the attack.