Iraqi government officials say a car bomb has exploded north of Baghdad, killing at least eight Shi'ite pilgrims.
Authorities said the blast on Thursday near the town of Dujail wounded at least 39 people.
The victims were traveling to the city of Samarra for a religious event commemorating the death of ninth century imam Hassan al-Askari,
Violence rocked northern Iraq on Wednesday. Officials say a series of explosions killed at least nine people, including seven in Kirkuk.
Overall, violence has declined in Iraq from the height of sectarian conflict several years ago. However, militants still carry out bombings and shootings almost daily, with Shi'ite pilgrims often the targets.
Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
