Baghdad: Iraqi police and health officials on Saturday raised the number of dead to 71 in the double suicide bombing near a Shiite shrine in Baghdad.
Police earlier reported 60 people killed and 125 others injured after two female suicide bombers blew themselves up near the gates of Imam Mousa Al Kadhim shrine on Friday.
Many of the dead and wounded were Iranian visitors. While violence has fallen sharply over the past year, insurgent groups such as Al Qaida still carry out frequent attacks.
Security around the shrine has been increased and additional checkpoints have been set up in Kazimiyah neighbourhood where the shrine is located.
Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki's office set up a commission to investigate the explosions and ordered the detention of two Iraqi commanders responsible for securing the shrine.
Interior Minister Jawad Al Bolani blamed Al Qaida.
"It's not a security failure because they aren't targeting government or security facilities. They are targeting civilians. That is proof of how weak they are," Bolani said.
