Pilgrims Are Being Extirpated in Iraq without Mercy

At least 20 Shia pilgrims have been killed in a bomb blast near the holy Iraqi city of Karbala, officials said.

Security chiefs said around 90 people were wounded in the blast from a device placed on a motorcycle.

The attack was the latest in a string of bombings this week that have targeted pilgrims making their way to an important Shia religious observance in Karbala.

The blasts have raised fears of a rise in attacks by suspected Sunni insurgents when the pilgrimage culminates on Friday.

The Press Association  has contributed to the report.