BAGHDAD, March 6: Militants slaughtered at least 118 pilgrims in a surge of attacks across Iraq on Tuesday that included a double suicide bombing on a crowded street that claimed 90 lives.

The attacks marked one of the bloodiest days since the start of a US-led security initiative designed to quell sectarian violence, and triggered fears of reprisal attacks.

Police Lieutenant Karim al-Hamzawi said the two suicide bombers triggered their explosives at Hilla, south of the capital, amid a packed crowd of Shia pilgrims walking to the holy city of Karbala.

Dr Mohammed Timini from Hilla Hospital’s emergency room said 90 were killed and at least 160 wounded, as queues of ambulances and private cars brought in scores of bloodied bodies.

“Among the wounded, there are 50 in a critical condition. Eighty per cent of the casualties are young men, but there are women and children among the dead,” he told AFP at the hospital.

Tens of thousands of pilgrims are making their way to Karbala for the Arbaeen ceremony on Friday, despite threats from Sunni militants. Most of them are going on foot, leaving them vulnerable to attacks.

The Hilla bombings triggered fury among local Shias and there was gunfire as militants accused government security forces of failing to protect the marchers from Sunni extremists.

Elsewhere in Iraq, separate attacks killed at least 28 more Shias. In Baghdad, eight pilgrims died when their minibus was raked with bullets by gunmen.—AFP