BAGHDAD: Families of 62 people killed in a Baghdad blast began burying their loved ones on Thursday, as the White House insisted that Washington was not reconsidering pulling US troops out of Iraqi cities.

The attack in a market in the predominantly Shiite slum neighbourhood of Sadr City in northeast Baghdad was one of the deadliest this year, and also left about 150 people wounded, officials said.

A motorcycle rickshaw loaded with explosives covered with fruit and vegetables caused a massive blast at 1600 GMT yesterday at a busy time in the market.

The attacker jumped off the rickshaw and managed to escape before the bomb was set off.“I heard a boom and saw a ball of fire,” said 30-year-old father-of-two Najim Ali, who was shopping in the market when the bomb went off.