A suicide bomber attacked a Shiite mosque during Friday prayers in Baghdad, killing at least 10 people and injuring 20, police said, according to the AP. The attacker was wearing an explosives belt and blew himself up at the Buratha mosque in northern Baghdad, police Lt. Thaer Mahmoud said.
The bomber was on foot as the streets of Baghdad were largely absent of cars due to a four-hour driving ban implemented to prevent violence during Friday prayers. The same mosque was also attacked during Friday prayers on April 7, when four suicide bombers set off their explosives, killing at least 85 worshippers.
A mortar barrage struck a commercial area near the Taji air base in the northern Baghdad suburb of Saaba al-Bour, killing at least two people and injuring 16, police Lt. Mohammed Khayoun said.
Friday's attacks came after Iraqi authorities launched a massive security operation on Wednesday with 75,000 troops deploying on the streets of Baghdad.
