The attack took place as thousands of Shia Muslims flooded the streets at the start of an arduous trek to the southern city of Karbala, 80 km (50 miles) southwest of Baghdad, for the religious rite of Arba'in.

BAGHDAD: A female suicide bomber blew herself up, killing 41 Shia pilgrims in northeastern Baghdad on Monday and wounding 106 others, the office of Baghdad security spokesman said.

“At 11.45 am (0845 GMT), a woman wearing an explosives-filled belt blew herself up in the middle of a crowd of pilgrims going to Karbala,” said Major General Qassim Atta, spokesman for Baghdad operational command.

The initial report, according to the health ministry is that 41 people were killed and 106 wounded. However the death toll from the suicide bombing could rise.

The attack took place as thousands of Shia Muslims flooded the streets at the start of an arduous trek to the southern city of Karbala, 80 km (50 miles) southwest of Baghdad, for the religious rite of Arba’in.

Arba’in marks the end of 40 days of mourning following the death anniversary of Imam Hussain, the Prophet Mohammad’s grandson, who died in a seventh century battle at Karbala.

Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims, beating their heads and chests in ritual mourning, pour into the city for the rite. Many walk from hundreds of kilometres (miles) away.

Tens of thousands of troops and police have been deployed to protect pilgrims as they walk and also around the revered Imam Hussein shrine in Karbala. But suspected Sunni Islamist extremists, who view Shia Muslims as apostates, still manage to get through.

Arba’in was once suppressed like other Shia gatherings under Saddam.