At least 13 people have been killed and dozens wounded in Iraq in attacks mostly directed at Shia pilgrims and targets, especially in Baghdad.
Six bombs were detonated across the Iraqi capital, all aimed at people marking the Shi'ite religious festival of Ashura, the BBC reports.
The most deadly targeted a parade in eastern Baghdad. The others exploded near pilgrims preparing to make their way to the city of Karbala in central Iraq.
Thousands of Iraqi soldiers and police have been assigned to protect the pilgrims this year and the government has said the security forces will also be on high alert to protect Christians over Christmas.
Earlier, a bomb attack on a church in the northern city of Mosul killed two people and wounded five others.
