Iraq: Bombing in ethnic minority village kills 13

BAGHDAD (AP) — A suicide bomber blew up an explosives-laden car among houses in an ethnic minority village in northern Iraq on Thursday, killing at least 13 people in the second such attack this month.

The bombing happened in the Shabak village of al-Mowafaqiah near the restive city of Mosul, which is 360 kilometers (225 miles) northwest of Baghdad, according to police officials.

The force of the blast leveled houses in the community and wounded at least 52 people, according to the officials. Rescue workers were searching the rubble to look for additional survivors who may be trapped underneath.

Shabaks are ethnically Turkomen and Shiite by religion. Most Shabaks were driven out of the Mosul area by Sunni militants during the sectarian fighting that raged after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion.

The attack comes as Muslims around the world this week mark the major religious holiday of Eid al-Adha, or the Feast of Sacrifice. It is often a time for family celebrations and outings.

Hospital officials confirmed the casualties. All officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to release the information.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility, though suicide bombings and car bombings are a favorite tactic of Al-Qaida's local branch. It frequently targets Shiites and those seen as closely allied to the Shiite-led government in Baghdad.

Thursday's attack follows a car bombing in another Shiite Turkomen village outside Mosul on Oct. 6. That blast, near a school in the small village of Qabak, killed 15, including a dozen children and their school principal.

Iraq's third-largest city, Mosul, and the area around it have long been a hotbed for hard-to-rout Sunni insurgents.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/iraq-bombing-ethnic-minority-village-kills-13-075512847.html
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