AGENCIES: The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL or ISIS) has claimed responsibility for a deadly attack near the Iraqi city of Karbala on Friday, according to media reports.
Iraqi security services said on Friday that 12 people were killed and several others wounded when after a bus was bombed near the holy city, 100 kilometers (62 miles) southwest of Baghdad.
Two police spokesmen at the blast site told Reuters news agency that an explosive device planted on the bus detonated at a northern entrance to the city, setting fire to the vehicle.
The bombing was one of the worst attacks targeting civilians since the armed group was declared defeated inside Iraq in 2017. The group’s sleeper cells continue to carry out sporadic attacks across the country.
In the wake of Friday’s bombing, which also wounded five people, Iraqi forces had increased their presence and security measures around Karbala.
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