Sepcial Report: Tension accelerates in Iraq

    BAGHDAD, June 29 (Xinhua) -- A suicide car bomber on Thursday blew up his car in a funeral in Kirkuk, about 250 km north of Baghdad, killing 15 people and wounding over 50 others, Iraq's state-run television reported.

    Earlier, the police said that 17 were killed in the blast.

    The TV report said that the attack occurred at about 9:00 p.m. (1700 GMT) when a funeral was held for a Shiite soldier who was killed two days ago.

    The oil-rich northern city of Kirkuk has witnessed an escalating violence in recent days.

    On Tuesday, a car bomb went off at a gas station in Kirkuk, killing two Iraqi civilians and wounding 13 others. Enditem