Officials: attack on Shiite shrine north of Baghdad kills 26

Iraqis gather at the scene of Sunday’s truck bombing in the Karada neighborhood in Baghdad, Iraq, on Thursday. Later, another attack carried out by multiple suicide bombers on a Shiite shrine north of Baghdad killed at least 26 people, officials said.

Karim Kadim/Associated Press

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Iraqis gather at the scene of Sunday’s truck bombing in the Karada neighborhood in Baghdad, Iraq, on Thursday. Later, another attack carried out by multiple suicide bombers on a Shiite shrine north of Baghdad killed at least 26 people, officials said.

Karim Kadim/Associated Press

BAGHDAD – Iraqi police and hospital officials say an attack carried out by multiple suicide bombers on a Shiite shrine north of Baghdad has killed 26 and wounded 52.

Police officials say the attack began late Thursday night when a suicide bomber targeted policemen guarding the entrance to the Sayyid Mohammed shine in Balad, 50 miles north of the capital Baghdad.

A second bomber entered the shrine with nine gunmen targeting security forces as well as families gathering to celebrate Eid al-Fitr, the holiday marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan.

Police officials said a third bomber was killed.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack which comes less than a week after an Islamic State-claimed bombing in Baghdad killed at least 186 people.