BAGHDAD, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Up to 32 people were killed and 68 wounded in two car bomb explosions targeting Shiite pilgrims at the end of a major Shiite religious ritual on Saturday, an Interior Ministry source told Xinhua.
The first attack occurred around midday when a booby-trapped car struck a procession of Shiite pilgrims at an intersection in Shula district in northwestern Baghdad, killing 14 pilgrims and wounding 32 others, the source said on condition of anonymity.
About two hours later, a second car bomb hit a procession of Shiite pilgrims near Sanaa Square outside the holy Shiite shrine district of Kadhmiyah in northern Baghdad, killing up to 18 pilgrims and wounding 36, the source said.
Earlier, the source reportedly said that the second attack killed six pilgrims and wounded 12 others.
The pilgrims were marching on foot to return to their homes after they participated in the observation of one of the major Shiite rituals in the holy Shiite district of Kadhmiyah in northern the capital, the source said.
About 6 millions of pilgrims from many parts of Baghdad and other provinces have gathered near the Imam Mussa al-Kadhim shrine in Kadhmiyah district for the annual commemoration of the death of the 7th of the most sacred 12 Shiite Imams.
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