A Sunni mosque north of Baghdad was bombed on Friday, killing 18 people who were worshipping inside at the time.
Two bombs were hidden inside air-conditioning units in the mosque, the Guardian reported, in the latest bout of devastation during a time of heightened violence. Since April, the country has experienced a spike in violence, increasing concern that a sectarian civil war could occur. The past several months have been the deadliest in five years, according to the United Nations. More than 4,000 people have died as a result of widespread violence since the beginning of April.
The attack at the mosque on Friday happened in the city of Samarra - an area located 60 miles north of the capital, comprised mostly of Sunni Muslims. According to the deputy head of the municipal council who spoke with the Guardian, the two bombs were hidden in air-conditioning units and exploded at around midday.
Mizhar Fleih said that at least 21 people were wounded from the blasts, which occurred during Friday's prayers.
"We are worried that the attacks on Sunni and Shia mosques aim at reigniting the sectarian strife in this country," he announced.
Sunni mosques have seen a sharp rise of attacks in the past few months. Some maintain that Sunni extremists are responsible for a large number of these attacks, but others contend that Shia militias might be to blame.
The city of Samarra houses a sacred Shia shrine.
A Sunni mosque in Baquba, a town north-east of Baghdad, was hit with a similar attack last week. 33 people who were inside the place of worship were killed from the explosion.
