Suicide attack kills 12 in Baghdad

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack

9 February 2015, 8:21am

1 min read

Iraqi police clear civilians off the street after a suicide bomber killed 12 people

A suicide bomber attacked Iraq's capital Monday, killing at least 12 people in a mainly Shiite area of the city, police said.

The morning blast in the Kadhamiya section of Baghdad also wounded at least 30 others. The area is home to Shiite Islam's holiest shrines.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, but such bombings are frequently attributed to Sunni militants targeting Shiites.

The deadly incident follows a series of blasts Sunday that killed at least 37 people, hours after the end of a decade-old nighttime curfew.

Iraq has seen a dramatic surge in violence since 2013 when nearly 9,000 civilians and Iraqi security forces were killed, according to U.N. data. Last year was far worse, with about 15,500 deaths.