Islamic State Bombings Targeting Shiites Kill 19 in Baghdad

Baghdad: Attacks targeting Shiites in Baghdad claimed by the Islamic State jihadist group, including a suicide bombing at a funeral in a mosque, killed at least 19 people Friday, officials said.

The suicide bombing inside the Al-Ashara al-Mubashareen mosque in the Amil area of south Baghdad killed at least 17 people and wounded 33, the officials said.

Two officials said the funeral was for a member of the volunteer paramilitary forces known as the Popular Mobilisation units.

In the Sadr City area of north Baghdad, two roadside bombs exploded near another Shiite place of worship, killing at least two people and wounding at least nine, officials said.

ISIS said in an online statement that it carried out two attacks in Sadr City and one at a funeral in Amil, but that all three were suicide bombings.

ISIS considers Shiites to be heretics, and frequently targets them with bombings in Baghdad.

The Popular Mobilisation units, dominated by Iranian-backed Shiite militias, are some of the most effective forces in the battle against IS, which overran large parts of the country last year.