Roadside bombs target Shiite pilgrims in Iraq

A spate of violence has struck Iraq with roadside bombs killing at least 49 people in Karbala during an annual Shiite pilgrimage. The latest attack is the second in two days, wounding as many as 150 people. The bombs exploded near two police checkpoints near Karbala. These attacks come during one of the most peaceful times in the country.

The New York Times’ John Leland explains that the U.S. military believes that the attacks indicate a weakened insurgency, saying, “it’s a way to get a lot of attention on a insurgency, saying, “it’s a way to get a lot of attention on a soft target.”