Officials: attack on Shiite shrine north of Baghdad kills 26

Iraqi police and hospital officials say an attack carried out by multiple suicide bombers on a Shiite shrine north of Baghdad has killed 26 and wounded 52.

Police officials say the attack began late last night when a suicide bomber targeted policemen guarding the entrance to the Sayyid Mohammed shine in Balad, 80 kilometers north of the capital Baghdad.

A second bomber entered the shrine with nine gunmen targeting security forces as well as families gathering to celebrate Eid al-Fitr, the holiday marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan.

Police officials said a third bomber was killed. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack which comes less than a week after an Islamic State-claimed bombing in Baghdad killed at least 186 people.