More than 30 people were murdered and at least 60 injured in the latest Islamic State terror attack in Iraq.
The gunmen and suicide bombers attacked the Shi'ite Mausoleum of Sayid Mohammed bin Ali al-Hadi in Balad, 58 miles north of Baghdad.
Three attackers, an Iraqi man, an Iraqi woman and a Palestinian, died in the assault, one blowing himself up and at least one more being killed by security officers before he could activate his explosive belt.
The attack was the latest in a series of terror murders by Islamic State deliberately timed to take place during the Muslim fast of Ramadan.
After the first suicide bomber attacked the gate of the shrine, other heavily armed Islamic State attackers stormed the site and many victims were shot in the ensuing mayhem. Dawn reported that it began at 11pm as worshipers were beginning their Eid celebrations. There was also rocket fire.
It came a day after another suicide attack in Baghdad claimed nearly 300 lives. A further 100 were murdered last Sunday.
The latest attack came in spite of the presence of the Peace Brigade led by Shi'a cleric Moqtada al-Sadr around the mausoleum.
Social media showed graphic photographs of the attack.
Pakistan deputy information secretary Zulfiqar Halepoto tweeted:
W condemn attack on Mausoleum of Sayid Mohammed bin Ali al-Hadi by Daish in #BladiIraq@ImranKhanPTI @BBhuttoZardari pic.twitter.com/zZvPF0pDwa
— ZULFIQAR HALEPOTO (@ZHALEPOTO) July 8, 2016 " data-caption="null" data-credit="null">The attacks raise fears of sectarian strife in Iraq, where Shi'ite Musims are a majority but Sunnis dominate some areas including Balad, Reuters reported.
