A rare suicide attack in an oasis town south of Baghdad killed eight people on Monday, Iraqi officials said.
The attack in Ain al-Tamer, which involved six suicide bombers, some of whom may have been killed by security forces before they blew themselves up, also wounded at least six people, the officials said.
Ministry spokesman Brig. Gen. Saad Maan said six suicide bombers tried to infiltrate the holy Shiite city of Karbala, but security forces managed to kill five of them. Maan added that the sixth bomber broke into a house where he blew up himself, killing six and wounding six.
Hundreds of thousands of faithful Shiites have been walking to Karbala to commemorate the end on Sunday of the 40-day mourning period of the seventh century death of Imam Hussein, Prophet Muhammad's grandson. The city is located is some 90 kilometers (55 miles) south of Baghdad.
No group claimed responsibility, but suspicion fell on Daesh terrorists who consider Shiites as heretics.