Car bomb targets Shiite pilgrims in Baghdad

Baghdad: A parked car bomb exploded near minibuses for Shiite pilgrims in Baghdad on Saturday, killing six people and wounding 11 others, police said.

The bombing occurred in Bahgdad's mainly Shiite district of Shaab on Saturday, the third straight day Shiite pilgrims have been targeted.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Several bombings in recent days have targeted Shiites heading to Karbala for a major religious festival.

However, the violence has not deterred pilgrims as they continued to descend by the thousands on Karbala on Sunday.

Shiite pilgrims are celebrating the Shabaniyah, which marks the birth of Imam Mohammed Al Mahdi, known as the "Hidden Iman".

US and Iraqi troops have stepped up security measures for the pilgrimage.