15/10/2013 18:06
Iraq blast hits Kirkuk Sunni mosque on Eid al-Adha
A bomb blast outside a Sunni mosque in the northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk has killed 12 people, the BBC reported, citing police.
They say the explosion occurred after prayers marking the start of the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha. At least 24 people were wounded.
Militants have targeted both Sunni and Shia worshippers in a wave of sectarian violence that has surged across Iraq in recent months.
Almost 6,000 people have been killed so far this year.
Oil-rich Kirkuk - home to a mixture of Arabs, Kurds and Turkmen - is one of Iraq's most bitterly contested areas.
Tuesday's explosion struck worshippers as they were leaving the Qodus mosque after morning prayers.
"Our security forces have taken all the necessary measures within our capabilities..., but unfortunately terrorists were able to penetrate the city and strike innocent people once again," Kirkuk provincial police chief, Brig Gen Jamal Tahir Bakir told AP.