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Suicide bombing at Iraqi mosque | Suicide bombing at Iraqi mosque |
(about 1 hour later) | |
A suicide bomber has killed nine people and wounded 15 in an attack on a Shia mosque during Friday prayers, Iraqi police say. | A suicide bomber has killed nine people and wounded 15 in an attack on a Shia mosque during Friday prayers, Iraqi police say. |
Reports say the bombing took place in the town of Musayib, 80km (50 miles) south of the capital, Baghdad. | Reports say the bombing took place in the town of Musayib, 80km (50 miles) south of the capital, Baghdad. |
The attack comes a day after the Iraqi parliament backed a deal regulating the future presence of US troops. | The attack comes a day after the Iraqi parliament backed a deal regulating the future presence of US troops. |
Iraqi Shia cleric Moqtada Sadr has declared three days of mourning in response to the parliament's decision. | |
Under the agreement, US troops will leave Iraqi streets by mid-2009 and quit Iraq entirely by the end of 2011. | Under the agreement, US troops will leave Iraqi streets by mid-2009 and quit Iraq entirely by the end of 2011. |
Levels of violence in Iraq have fallen to a four-year low, but bombings continue on an almost daily basis. | Levels of violence in Iraq have fallen to a four-year low, but bombings continue on an almost daily basis. |
Mourning ceremonies | |
Moqtada Sadr has the support of 30 MPs in the 275 member parliament and has thousands of gunmen under his command in his militia, the Mehdi Army. | |
We offer our condolences to the Iraqi people over this calamity that has fallen upon them with the signing of the agreement of humiliation and indignity Statement by Moqtada Sadr | |
The militia is at present observing a ceasefire with the Iraqi government and US forces. | |
He has constantly opposed the US military presence and wants Iraq to expel American troops and end all negotiations with Washington. | |
In a statement he told his supporters to put up black flags, organise mourning ceremonies and hold peaceful demonstrations. Some began in Sadrist controlled areas after Friday prayers. | |
Whilst Sadrists and their militia do control some areas of the country analysts believe their sway over the Shia community is reducing, BBC Baghdad correspondent Humphrey Hawksley reports. | |
It is widely thought Moqtada Sadr himself spends much of his time in Iran and that the major influence still lies with the Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani. | |
He works in the holy city of Najaf and routinely holds talks with both Iraqi and foreign officials. | |
Ayatollah Sistani's influence was seen as key to the way the agreement with the US was approved, our correspondent says. | |
He insisted that the minority Sunni politicians were on board so it could be seen to encompass the interests of as many Iraqis as possible. |