Bomb attack on pilgrims kills 23 in Iraq as hundreds protest
A car bomb targeting Shiite pilgrims killed at least 23 people near Baghdad on Saturday, as hundreds protested in the capital for reforms and parliament made another attempt to reshuffle the cabinet.
Iraq has been hit by weeks of political turmoil surrounding Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi’s efforts to change the government.
Both Washington and the United Nations have warned the crisis could distract from the fight against the Islamic State (IS) group, which carries out frequent bombings against civilians.
The car bomb, which also wounded at least 38 people, struck a road in the Nahrawan area used by Shiite pilgrims who are walking to the shrine of Imam Musa Kadhim in northern Baghdad for annual commemorations, officials said.
IS claimed the attack and said it was carried out by a suicide bomber who detonated a vehicle laden with three tonnes of explosives.
