Bombs kill 9 during Shiite religious ritual in Iraq

PanARMENIAN.Net - Iraqi officials said a twin bombing has killed nine Shiites in a town south of Baghdad as they were marking a somber religious ritual, according to the Associated Press.

A police officer said two bombs exploded simultaneously in Hafriyah, about 50 kilometers (32 miles) from the Iraqi capital, as a group of Shiites were observing the Ashoura. The annual ritual commemorates the 7th century death of Prophet Mohammed's grandson.

The officer said the bombing also wounded 31 people. A medical official confirmed the causality figures.

Ashoura attracts hundreds of thousands of Shiites. It's often targeted by Sunni extremists who consider Shiites to be heretics.

Violence has spiked in Iraq since April with more than 5,500 killed, according to UN figures.