Nine worshippers killed in twin attacks in Iraq

April 19, 2013 06:51 pm | Updated November 16, 2021 08:13 pm IST - BAGHDAD

Mortar fire and bombs targeting worshippers killed nine people and injured 29 others on Friday in two attacks north of Baghdad shortly after noon prayers.

The fresh violence came a day after a suicide bombing on a Baghdad cafe killed 36 people and wounded dozens of others.

Police said the first attack came just after Friday prayers as the worshippers were leaving the Sunni mosque of al-Muthana in Khalis, killing seven worshippers and injuring 14 others.

Khalis, a former stronghold of Sunni insurgency, is 80 km (50 miles) north of Baghdad. Police said part of the mosque was destroyed in the mortar attack.

In the oil-rich city of Kirkuk, police said a roadside bomb exploded among Shiite worshippers as they were heading home after prayers in al-Tamimi mosque, killing two worshippers and wounding 14 others.

Medics in nearby hospitals confirmed the dead toll. All officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to reporters.

Violence has been on the rise ahead of provincial elections set for Saturday. The voting is for local officials in several provinces across the country, including the capital, Baghdad. Authorities have been pledging to bolster security ahead of the elections.

0 / 0
Sign in to unlock member-only benefits!
  • Access 10 free stories every month
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.

We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.