A member of the Iraqi security forces stands at the site of a car bomb attack in the Shi'ite holy city of Kerbala south of Baghdad, Iraq, June 7, 2016. (Photo: REUTERS)
The first car bombing in Iraq's holy Shia city of Karbala in more than two years killed at least three people Tuesday, officials said of an attack claimed by militants.
The blast in a neighbourhood of Karbala, 80 kilometres (50 miles) southwest of Baghdad, also wounded 33 people wounded, an official at the governorate's health directorate said.
The explosion was claimed by the Islamic State militant group, which has carried out most such attacks in Iraq recently.
"A car bomb was detonated at an intersection in Al-Mowadhafeen neighbourhood, around three kilometres from the city centre," the Joint Operations Command said in a statement.
In a statement posted on social media, IS group said it was a suicide attack carried out by a man it named as Abu Malik al-Iraqi.
Bombings in Karbala are rare but the city, which is home to the mausoleums of revered Shia imams Hussein and Abbas, borders Anbar province where Iraqi forces are currently battling IS group.
Short link: