19 killed as blasts rock Iraqi Shite cities (Roundup)

Nov 8, 2010, 14:54 GMT

Karbala/Najaf, Iraq - At least 19 people were killed Monday in attacks targeting southern Shiite Iraqi cities.

The spate of bombings coincided with the country's leading politicians gathering in the northern city of Arbil to try to reach an end for the eight-month long political stalemate since the country's inconclusive March parliamentary election.

At least 12 people were killed and 36 injured in a car bombing in the holy Shiite Iraqi city of Karbala, according to a health official in the city.

Seven Iranian pilgrims were among those killed, said Alaa Bedier, head of Karbala's health department. Another 20 Iranians were among those injured in the attack.

The bombing took place on the crowded Bab-Toueiraj street near the Imam Abbas mosque in central Karbala, about 118 kilometres south of Baghdad.

Police then imposed a curfew across the Shiite holy city.

In the nearby Shiite holy city of Najaf, another bomb went off in targeting a bus carrying Iranian pilgrims.

At least six Iranian pilgrims and one Iraqi citizens people were killed and 36 others were injured, Kareem Khassaf, a member of the Najaf council was quoted by the Aswat al-Iraq news agency as saying.

Millions of Shiites visit the city every year, including thousands of Iranians, to take part in religious rituals in the city. Safeguarding pilgrims have been a challenge for security forces.

Celebrating Shiite events has become normal since the US-led invasion in 2003, as they were forbidden during the regime of Saddam Hussein, which suppressed any public display of worship rituals by Iraq's Shiite majority.

Now, Iraqis go to Karbala, Najaf, Samarra and al-Kadhimiya every year to revive their religious events, accompanied by many from outside the country.

Iraq has seen increased violence in recent months, as the stalled process of government formation drags into its eighth month.

In the northern city of Mosul, six policemen were injured when two consecutive bombs went off targeting their patrols.

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