Skip to main content

Iraq suicide blast kills 36 at funeral in ethnic minority Shabak town

By Mohammed Tawfeeq
September 15, 2013 -- Updated 0901 GMT (1701 HKT)
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
  • NEW: At least 36 are killed and 48 injured
  • A suicide bomber detonates his explosive vest at a funeral of a Shabak member
  • Shabaks are an ethnic minority who are 65% Shiite and 35% Sunni

(CNN) -- A suicide attack north of Mosul, Iraq, on Saturday killed at least 36 people and wounded 48 others, authorities said.

The bomber, wearing an explosive vest, blew himself up at a funeral of a member of the Shabak, an ethnic minority group, in the outskirts of Mosul in northern Iraq.

The Shabak people are Muslims, and 65% of them are Shiite, with the remaining 35% Sunni. The attack took place in Baashiqa, whose majority is Shiite Shabak.

The Shabak people number about 250,000 in Nineveh province and have their own language, Shabaki, as well as style of dress.

The attack was the latest violence in a country torn by sectarian conflict. On Friday, a bomb hidden in an air-conditioning duct killed 30 Sunni worshipers and wounded 52 others in a mosque near Baquba, Iraq, which is about 37 miles (60 kilometers) northeast of Baghdad.

CNN's Michael Martinez contributed to this report.

ADVERTISEMENT
Part of complete coverage on
October 6, 2013 -- Updated 1036 GMT (1836 HKT)
In two raids, U.S. special operations forces capture a suspected terrorist operative and also target an Al-Shabaab leader, officials say.
October 4, 2013 -- Updated 1518 GMT (2318 HKT)
The first phone-call between U.S. and Iranian presidents raised hopes of a new start -- but could Iran's Revolutionary Guards spoil the party?
October 3, 2013 -- Updated 1804 GMT (0204 HKT)
Violence in Syria has left millions displaced. And while many Syrians have fled across the border to escape, others remain in harm's way.
October 2, 2013 -- Updated 0822 GMT (1622 HKT)
Iraq's violence is growing. The world seems oblivious but with unrest spreading though the region, this is why you should not ignore it.
October 5, 2013 -- Updated 1510 GMT (2310 HKT)
The FBI says it has caught the shadowy creator of the Internet's infamous criminal marketplace, the mysterius "Dread Pirate Roberts."
October 4, 2013 -- Updated 1523 GMT (2323 HKT)
For the past two years, she's been a pocket accessory to millions of Americans. Meet the woman who says she is the voice of Siri.
October 4, 2013 -- Updated 1021 GMT (1821 HKT)
Qatar businesses expect to take a hit if the 2022 World Cup is moved. CNN's John Defterios explains.
October 4, 2013 -- Updated 0707 GMT (1507 HKT)
The show is less traditional puppet theater and more a Balinese Baz Luhrmann-style "spectacular" with a cast of hundreds, including dancers.
October 4, 2013 -- Updated 1100 GMT (1900 HKT)
Like screaming fans at a gig, a young generation of Japanese have found a new obsession: horse racing -- a new rival to baseball and football.
October 4, 2013 -- Updated 0024 GMT (0824 HKT)
China issues an illustrated 64-page "Guidebook for Civilized Tourism" to instruct Chinese citizens on social norms overseas.
Explore CNN's Formula One interactive as the world's best drivers head to South Korea for round 14 of the world championship.
October 3, 2013 -- Updated 1047 GMT (1847 HKT)
Life extension cryotherapy chamber Franck Ribery
It is an age-old question: will humankind ever defeat old age? The multinational tech giant Google would like us to think it might be possible too.
October 6, 2013 -- Updated 1543 GMT (2343 HKT)
Graphene -- at one atom thick, it is the thinnest material ever discovered. CNN speaks to its inventor and Nobel laureate Kostya Novoselow.
October 2, 2013 -- Updated 1308 GMT (2108 HKT)
She was dubbed "The Assassin" after winning gold in London. But Kaori Matsumoto prefers to be known as "Beast."
October 3, 2013 -- Updated 1328 GMT (2128 HKT)
The common doodle has long been frowned upon in business meetings. But now researchers say it aids concentration.
ADVERTISEMENT