A suicide bomber blew himself up at a funeral in the town of Khalis, some 75 km north of Baghdad, on Monday afternoon, killing at least 15 people and wounding 21, a police source from nearby Baquba told Xinhua.

The blast occurred shortly before 7 p.m. (1500 GMT) when many mourners gathered at a funeral in Khalis, a predominant Shiite town in volatile Diyala province, the source said on condition of anonymity.

The death toll could rise further, the source added.

Khalis, a town plagued by sectarian violence between Sunnis and Shiites, has witnessed a surge of violence recently.

On March 29, four car bombs rocked the town, leaving at least 43 people killed and 68 others injured.

Source: Xinhua