The US military on Friday blamed al-Qaida in Iraq for a double suicide bombing that killed at least 35 people and wounded 65 during a wedding procession through a crowd of bystanders cheering the bride and groom in a town northeast of Baghdad.
The attack occurred Thursday evening in Balad Ruz, a predominantly Shiite town 72 kilometers (45 miles) northeast of Baghdad amid heightened worries that al-Qaida in Iraq is regrouping despite recent security gains by US-led forces.
The terror network announced April 19 that it was launching a one-month offensive against US troops and US-allied Sunnis.
"Al-Qaida in Iraq continues their malicious tactics against the people of Iraq and their way of life," the US military said in a statement Friday. "They seek violence and chaos in Iraq."
