A mortar attack killed seven people and wounded 46 in the southern Shiite holy city of Karbala as pilgrims gathered for a ceremony, Iraqi police said on Wednesday.
"Several mortars landed at 11:00 pm (0800 GMT on Tuesday), killing seven pilgrims and injuring 46, in a neighbourhood located four kilometres (2.3 miles) northwest of the centre of the city," a Karbala police officer said.
"The pilgrims were coming from around the city to participate in the ceremony" marking the birthday of the Mahdi, the 12th and last Shiite imam, the officer said, adding several houses were damaged.
Shiites — the majority of Iraq's population — believe the imam will return to Earth on the Day of Judgment.
Tuesday's attack came a day after twin car bombings in Karbala killed 21 people and wounded at least 47 others.
US and Iraqi officials have warned of the dangers of an upsurge in violence as negotiations on forming a new governing coalition have dragged on, more than four months after parliamentary elections.
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Iraq bomb kills five in Sadr City
A bomb inside a restaurant in the Shiite neighbourhood of Sadr City in north Baghdad killed five people on Wednesday, security officials said.
A woman was among the dead and 13 others were wounded in the blast, which occurred at around 9:30 am (0630 GMT), officials from the defence and interior ministries said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
US and Iraqi officials have warned of the dangers of an upsurge in violence as negotiations on forming a new governing coalition have dragged on, more than four months after parliamentary elections.
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