Suicide bomber targets Shiites in Baghdad, kills 7

A suicide bomber killed at least seven people who were setting up tents on Sunday ahead of a major Shiite religious observance next month, officials said.

The bomber struck as residents of Baghdad’s western Eskan neighbourhood were preparing for Ashoura, which commemorates the 7th century death of Imam Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, a police officer said, adding that another 28 people were wounded.

A medical official confirmed the toll. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorised to release information.

No one immediately claimed the attack. The Islamic State group and other Sunni extremists frequently target Iraq’s Shiite majority, who they view as apostates deserving of death.

Ashoura annually draws hundreds of thousands of Shiite pilgrims to Iraq, particularly the city of Karbala, where Hussain is buried. 

The attack came a day after a triple suicide bombing killed 11 Iraqi security forces and wounded 34 at a checkpoint north of Baghdad. The Islamic State group claimed the attack. 

IS has suffered a series of setbacks in the recent months, losing much of the territoryit seized in the summer of 2014.