Twin bombs at Iraq Shiite mosque kill 9: officials

Twin bombings – an explosives-rigged vehicle followed by a suicide attacker – at a Shiite mosque in Iraq's restive northern town of Tuz Khurmatu killed at least nine people on Saturday, officials said.

Twin bombings – an explosives-rigged vehicle followed by a suicide attacker – at a Shiite mosque in Iraq's restive northern town of Tuz Khurmatu killed at least nine people on Saturday, officials said.

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The dual attacks targeting the Imam Ali Shiite mosque also wounded at least 29 people, a police colonel and town mayor Shallal Abdul said.

The initial car bomb went off at 5:30pm (1430 GMT) near the mosque, which is in the middle of a crowded market and near offices of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, the party of ailing Iraqi President Jalal Talabani.

Shortly afterwards, the suicide bomber blew himself up at the entrance to the mosque.

"I am sure the attack was carried out by al-Qaeda," said Abdul.

"There is major destruction and damage in the area, because it is located in the centre of a market."