Suicide bombers kill three, wound 17 Shiite worshippers in northern Iraq

Two suicide attackers targeted worshippers leaving a Shiite mosque on Friday in the northern city of Tal Afar, killing at least three people and wounding 17, officials said.

The explosions occurred outside the Sheik Juwad mosque early Friday afternoon as worshippers were leaving services. Major General Najim Abdullah, the city’s mayor, said the first bomber “threw a grenade on worshippers before he blew himself up.”

A few minutes later, the second attacker ran toward people who were busy in the aftermath of the first explosion. “But police opened fire on him before he reached the people,” the mayor said.

A police officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to release information, said the second attacker blew himself up without causing casualties.

The mayor said three people were killed and 17 wounded, although a police officer put the death toll at four and said all the casualties were caused by the first attack.