Car bomb kills 13 at shooting victim's wake

A car bomb blew up in an Iraqi town today, killing 13 people attending a wake for the victims of a previous attack, hospital officials said.

The attack in Khalis, near the city of Baqouba, came two days after gunmen fired at a building belonging to a city council official, killing two people and wounding two.

Today’s bombing targeted the wake for those killed in that attack.

Baqouba, 35 miles north-east of Baghdad, was the scene of fierce fighting last week between American soldiers and insurgents who tried to seize government buildings and police stations only days before power was handed over by US occupation authorities to the interim government.

Guerillas have been targeting local officials, who are seen as being collaborators with coalition forces.