Iraqi officials say four Pakistani Shi'ite pilgrims heading to a shrine in central Iraq have been killed in an attack on their bus.
There was no immediate confirmation from the Pakistani Embassy in Baghdad.
Iraqi police said the overnight attack involved a roadside bomb that struck the pilgrims' bus near the town of Balad, some 60 kilometers north of Baghdad.
After the bomb exploded, gunmen opened fire on the bus before fleeing the scene.
At least 11 people on the bus were wounded in the attack.
Violence is down from its peak in 2006-08, when communal bloodshed left thousands dead, but deadly attacks against security forces and Shi'ite pilgrims remain common.
There was no immediate confirmation from the Pakistani Embassy in Baghdad.
Iraqi police said the overnight attack involved a roadside bomb that struck the pilgrims' bus near the town of Balad, some 60 kilometers north of Baghdad.
After the bomb exploded, gunmen opened fire on the bus before fleeing the scene.
At least 11 people on the bus were wounded in the attack.
Violence is down from its peak in 2006-08, when communal bloodshed left thousands dead, but deadly attacks against security forces and Shi'ite pilgrims remain common.
