A suicide bomber blew himself up amid a crowd of Shiite pilgrims south of Baghdad yesterday, killing at least 40 people, police and medical officials said.
At least 60 people were also wounded in the blast in the town of Iskandiriyah, said Karim al-Tamimi, a police lieutenant from the province of Babil.
"At around 3pm, when pilgrims were eating their lunch inside the tent, a bomber blew himself up amid the crowd," Tamimi said.
Mohammed al-Zaidi, of Babil Province state health office, gave the same toll and said that at least 25 were seriously injured.
A US military official confirmed the attack, but put the initial death toll at 25.
"The suicide bomber was wearing an explosives vest [and] detonated his explosives outside the Hateen Apartments, which is outside of Iskandiriyah," the official said.
The apartments are located on the route between Iskandiriyah and Musayyib -- a region known as the "triangle of death."
The attack took place on a two-lane highway, the official said, adding that no US military personnel were injured.
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