Gunmen killed 22 Muslim pilgrims on their way to Syria as they were passing through Anbar province from the shrine city of Karbala, officials said on Tuesday.
The group had all been passengers on a bus passing through Anbar province, when their vehicle was stopped by gunmen at 9:30 pm (1830 GMT) on Monday.
“Gunmen dressed in military and police uniforms set up a fake checkpoint, made the passengers get off the bus, separated the men from the women and children before killing the men and fleeing,” a Karbala official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
“All of the bodies are now in the Karbala mortuary,” he added.
A mortuary official, who also declined to be named, confirmed the account.
The bus was one of the daily services departing from Karbala carrying pilgrims bound for Syria. On its way to Iraq’s western neighbour, it must pass through the desert region of Anbar.
Earlier, police General Haider Rzayj said the gunmen had stopped the bus, which he said was coming from Syria, and killed the men before laying their bodies on the ground.
The attack took place about 300 kilometres (185 miles) west of Baghdad, in a sector under the control of the Iraqi army.
