27 January 2010 - 12H48  

Two killed in Baghdad bus attack
File photo shows Iraqi policemen at a checkpoint in central Baghdad. An Iranian woman has been killed and five fellow Shiite pilgrims wounded when gunmen fired at their bus in Baghdad in an attack that also killed the Iraqi driver, security officials have said.
File photo shows Iraqi policemen at a checkpoint in central Baghdad. An Iranian woman has been killed and five fellow Shiite pilgrims wounded when gunmen fired at their bus in Baghdad in an attack that also killed the Iraqi driver, security officials have said.

AFP - An Iranian woman was killed and five fellow Shiite pilgrims wounded when gunmen fired at their bus in Baghdad on Wednesday in an attack that also killed the Iraqi driver, security officials said.

The attack occurred in the Al-Adel district, a Sunni stronghold in the west of the Iraqi capital, Baghdad operational command said, confirming the toll.

"All of the five wounded are Iranians," it said, adding that the attack took place at 8:20 am (0520 GMT), on a road in Adel that leads to Kadhimiyah, a Shiite district in northern Baghdad.

The shooting took place one week ahead of Arbaeen, which marks 40 days after the Ashura anniversary that commemorates the killing of the revered Imam Hussein.

Arbaeen will see tens of thousands of Iranian pilgrims pass through Baghdad en route to the holy Shiite city of Karbala, 110 kilometres (68 miles) south of the capital to pay homage at the Imam Hussein shrine.

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