The blast struck in the town of Baashiqah, just outside the main northern city of Mosul, according to police Lieutenant Qassim al-Luhaibi and Moatez al-Malah, a doctor from the city´s hospital.[break]
Mourners were paying respects to the man, a member of the Shabak minority, who had died of natural causes, the officials said.
The 30,000-strong Shabak community mostly lives near the Turkish border.
They speak a distinct language and largely follow a faith that is a blend of Shiite Islam and local beliefs, and are frequently targeted in attacks by militants.
The attack came amid a surge in nationwide violence that has left more than 4,000 people dead so far this year and sparked concerns Iraq is slipping back into the all-out sectarian war that plagued it in 2006 and 2007.
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