An ‘Islamic State’ (IS) attack on a Shiite shrine north of the Iraqi capital has killed at least 30 people and injured dozens more. The strike comes just five days after a massive explosion in Baghdad claimed 292 lives.
Suicide bombers detonated their explosives near the Syyid Muhammed mausoleum in Balad, clearing the way for gunmen to enter the site and fire upon worshippers, Iraqi security sources said Friday.
The shrine, about 93 kilometers (58 miles) north of the Iraqi capital, also came under rocket fire during the overnight attack.
More than 50 people were wounded in the strike, which came as people gathered to celebrate the Eid al-Fitr festival that marks the end of Ramadan.
Militant group “Islamic State” (IS) claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement, saying it was carried out by three suicide bombers wearing explosive belts.
A massive truck bomb on Sunday killed 292 people in a Shiite shopping area in central Baghdad. The attack was the deadliest single bombing to hit Iraq since the US-led invasion of the country in 2003. That blast was also claimed by IS, which overran large sections of northern and western Iraq in 2014.
The Sunni hardline group has been losing ground to Iraqi forces in recent months, and experts warn their losses on the battlefield could mean a spike in attacks targeting civilians.
nm/jm (Reuters, AP, AFP)
