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| Bomb attacks mar Shia Iraqi feast | Bomb attacks mar Shia Iraqi feast |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Bomb attacks on a Shia mosque and pilgrims have killed at least 36 people as Iraq's largest Muslim community marks one of its biggest feasts. | Bomb attacks on a Shia mosque and pilgrims have killed at least 36 people as Iraq's largest Muslim community marks one of its biggest feasts. |
| Pilgrims have been crowding to and from Karbala, south of Baghdad, to mark the birth of a historic religious figure. | Pilgrims have been crowding to and from Karbala, south of Baghdad, to mark the birth of a historic religious figure. |
| The mosque bombing near the northern city of Mosul killed 30, while blasts killed six returning pilgrims in Baghdad, police said. | The mosque bombing near the northern city of Mosul killed 30, while blasts killed six returning pilgrims in Baghdad, police said. |
| Iraq has seen frequent sectarian strife between its Shia and Sunni Muslims. | Iraq has seen frequent sectarian strife between its Shia and Sunni Muslims. |
| I hurried to the mosque to search for my father in the ruins Khalil Qasim Eyewitness to Mosul mosque attack | |
| The mosque bomb went off as worshippers were leaving after Friday prayers. | |
| Police said at least 61 people had also been wounded in the blast, and the number of casualties was likely to rise. | |
| The area is one of the least stable in Iraq. | The area is one of the least stable in Iraq. |
| In the worst attack in Baghdad, at least three people were killed and eight injured when a pilgrims' bus was struck by a roadside bomb as it entered the Shia area of Sadr City. | In the worst attack in Baghdad, at least three people were killed and eight injured when a pilgrims' bus was struck by a roadside bomb as it entered the Shia area of Sadr City. |
| An attack on Thursday evening killed at least one person making their way to the festival and injured three. | An attack on Thursday evening killed at least one person making their way to the festival and injured three. |
| Trapped victims | |
| The mosque attack occurred near Mosul, which is about 400km (250 miles) north-west of Baghdad, in a village named by Reuters news agency as Shreikhan. | |
| City authorities have urged citizens to donate blood and appealed for construction vehicles to lift debris trapping victims of the attack, the agency says. | |
| "I was in the house when this explosion happened," said eyewitness Khalil Qasim, 19, speaking through his tears. | |
| "I hurried to the mosque to search for my father in the ruins... I found him seriously wounded, and took him to hospital, but he died." | |
| News agencies report that most people in the village are from Iraq's ethnic Turkmen community and Shia by religion. | |
| Turkmens, who also count Sunnis and Christians among their number, are a minority in Mosul, a city of about 1.8 million people which is mainly populated by Sunni Arabs. | |
| US and Iraqi officials have described the city as al-Qaeda in Iraq's last major urban stronghold in Iraq. | |
| Security test | Security test |
| The hundreds of thousands of Shia pilgrims who gather in Karbala to mark the birth of Mohammed al-Mehdi - the 12th and last Shia Imam, known as the Hidden Imam - have often been targeted by attacks in the past. | |
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| Iraqi pilgrims gather in Karbala | Iraqi pilgrims gather in Karbala |
| More than 20,000 Iraqi police have been deployed to protect the pilgrims. | More than 20,000 Iraqi police have been deployed to protect the pilgrims. |
| Many Iraqis say the government has yet to prove it is in full control of security. | Many Iraqis say the government has yet to prove it is in full control of security. |
| The BBC's Natalya Antelava in Baghdad says the government is accusing Sunni insurgents linked to al-Qaeda of trying to reignite sectarian tensions in the country. | The BBC's Natalya Antelava in Baghdad says the government is accusing Sunni insurgents linked to al-Qaeda of trying to reignite sectarian tensions in the country. |
| But while the majority of attacks in recent days have been aimed at Shia communities, some Sunnis have also been targeted, our correspondent says. | But while the majority of attacks in recent days have been aimed at Shia communities, some Sunnis have also been targeted, our correspondent says. |
| Last Friday, a series of apparently co-ordinated bombs outside five Shia mosques in Baghdad killed at least 29 people and injured more than 130. | Last Friday, a series of apparently co-ordinated bombs outside five Shia mosques in Baghdad killed at least 29 people and injured more than 130. |
| But just two days ago a bomb killed three and wounded many more in one of Baghdad's predominantly Sunni neighbourhoods. | But just two days ago a bomb killed three and wounded many more in one of Baghdad's predominantly Sunni neighbourhoods. |
| Are you in Iraq? Do you know someone undertaking the pilgrimage to Karbala? You can send us your experiences using the form below. | Are you in Iraq? Do you know someone undertaking the pilgrimage to Karbala? You can send us your experiences using the form below. |
| A selection of your comments may be published, displaying your name and location unless you state otherwise in the box below. | A selection of your comments may be published, displaying your name and location unless you state otherwise in the box below. |
| The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions | The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions |