DHAKA: A suicide bomber detonated an explosives belt among Shia pilgrims in Iraq on Thursday, killing at least 17 people, while militants shot dead a family of five.

Iraq officials said, reports TDS.

The attack on the pilgrims in the Dura area of south Baghdad took place at a tent where they are served food and drinks on their way to the shrine city of Karbala, and also wounded at least 35 people, security and medical officials said.

Hundreds of thousands of people make pilgrimages to Karbala, many of them on foot, during the 40 days after the annual commemoration marking the death of the Prophet Mohammed’s grandson, known to Shias as Imam Hussein.

The 40th day, known as Arbaeen, falls on December 23 this year.

Sunni militants, including those linked to Al-Qaeda, frequently target members of Iraq’s Shiite majority, whom they consider to be apostates.

The throngs of pilgrims on the roads make for an easy target, and they have been hit by a series of attacks in recent days.

On Wednesday, a suicide bomber targeted Shia pilgrims in Khales, north of Baghdad, killing five people and wounding 10.

BDST: 1826 HRS, DEC 19, 2013
Edited by Robab Rosan, Current Affairs Editor