Twelve civilians killed and five wounded on Friday in a bomb blast on a bus at the northern edge of the Iraqi Shiite holy city of Karbala.

“Twelve civilians have been killed and five wounded in an explosion on a bus at the main checkpoint for the northern entrance to Karbala”, the city’s health authorities said.

According to the officials, the blast occurred as the bus passed through an Iraqi army checkpoint between Karbala and al-Hilla.

Security forces arrived instantly at the scene of the attack, which was not immediately claimed.