Car bomb at Iraq funeral wake kills at least 35

Celebrating a funeral the Muslim way, Blowing every one up.

Only in Islam.


(Reuters) - A car bomb exploded at a funeral wake in a Shi'ite area of Iraq's capital on Thursday, killing at least 35 people, wounding dozens and triggering clashes between angry residents and police, health and security sources said.

The blast capped a bloody two weeks as suspected insurgents challenge Iraq's security forces ahead of the withdrawal this year of U.S. troops and try to undermine the newly reappointed Shi'ite-led government of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki.

Witnesses said a suicide bomber struck a funeral tent packed with relatives and guests in Baghdad's Shula district, a former stronghold of anti-U.S. cleric Moqtada al-Sadr but now thought to be controlled by a violent splinter group, Asaib al-Haq.

"I see blood everywhere. I see at least five or six damaged cars, smoke rising from them, chairs scattered everywhere," said Murtadha Kadhem, a freelance TV cameraman working for Reuters.

Deputy Health Minister Khamis al-Saad said 35 people were killed and 65 wounded, and a local hospital official gave the same death toll. An Interior Ministry source put the toll at 37 dead and 78 wounded.

Two other security sources said more than 45 people were killed and around 120 were wounded.