Iraq: Rickshaw bomb kills two in Karbala

A bomb hidden in an rickshaw has killed two Muslim Shiite pilgrims and wounded 26 others south of Baghdad, Iraqi officials said today.

Two police officers said the bomb exploded early this morning while the three-wheeled vehicle was waiting for commuters near the holy city of Karbala. A doctor in Karbala confirmed the casualty figures.

Shiite pilgrims are celebrating the birthday of Mohammed al-Mahdi, the twelfth and so-called hidden imam, who disappeared in the ninth century. Pilgrims are often targeted by insurgents looking to stoke sectarian violence.

Karbala is about 55 miles south of Baghdad.