Pilgrims killed in Iraq car bomb attacks

Four coordinated car bomb attacks on Shiite pilgrims in the Iraqi capital have killed at least 20 people, police and health officials said.

The death toll was expected to rise in today’s attacks – the third this week targeting the annual religious processions. The bombings threaten to ratchet up sectarian violence.

Two police officers say the first bomb struck at around 5am in the northern Baghdad neighbourhood of Taji, killing seven.

Within hours, three more explosions hit other processions in different parts of the city, killing at least 13 more.

The pilgrims were making their way to the shrine for a revered Shiite imam for the annual commemoration that climaxes on Saturday.