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Shia worshippers killed in Iraq | Shia worshippers killed in Iraq |
(30 minutes later) | |
A suicide bomber has attacked a mosque north of Baghdad during a ceremony for a Shia holy festival, killing at least eight people, Iraqi police say. | A suicide bomber has attacked a mosque north of Baghdad during a ceremony for a Shia holy festival, killing at least eight people, Iraqi police say. |
The bomb exploded as worshippers left the mosque in Baquba, about 65km (40 miles) north of Baghdad. | |
The attack came the day after a woman blew herself up near a Shia mosque in the same Diyala province, killing 11. | |
The Ashura festival in Iraq has in recent years regularly been blighted by attacks blamed on Sunni radicals. | The Ashura festival in Iraq has in recent years regularly been blighted by attacks blamed on Sunni radicals. |
The latest attack occurred as devotees were about to begin a procession down the street, police Lieutenant-Colonel Najim al-Soumaidaie told the AFP news agency. | The latest attack occurred as devotees were about to begin a procession down the street, police Lieutenant-Colonel Najim al-Soumaidaie told the AFP news agency. |
"The suicide bomber detonated his explosives as people were leaving the mosque," he said "At least eight people were killed and we have 15 wounded." | "The suicide bomber detonated his explosives as people were leaving the mosque," he said "At least eight people were killed and we have 15 wounded." |
Ashura commemorates the killing of Imam Hussein, grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, in the southern Iraqi city of Karbala, by the armies of Sunni caliph Yazid in 680AD. | Ashura commemorates the killing of Imam Hussein, grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, in the southern Iraqi city of Karbala, by the armies of Sunni caliph Yazid in 680AD. |
Target for violence | |
The bomb exploded outside one of the few remaining Shia mosques in Baquba, says the BBC's Jonny Dymond in Iraq. | |
The province of Diyala is currently the focus of American efforts at rooting out Sunni insurgents; but it is also the scene of a vicious Sunni-Shia struggle, our correspondent says. | |
A vehicle curfew is set to be imposed across parts of Iraq over the next two days. | |
Saturday is the culmination of Ashura, when huge numbers will gather in the holy city of Karbala and elsewhere. | |
The authorities are well aware that they will present a target to those seeking to stir up sectarian strife, our correspondent says. |