- Thousands of Shiite pilgrims are traveling to Kadhimiya
- The pilgrims will commemorate the death of Imam Moussa al-Kadhim
- The shrine to al-Kadhim in Baghdad is one of Shiite Islam's holiest sites
Baghdad (CNN) -- A string of seven car bombs exploded in central Iraq Wednesday morning over a two-hour period, killing at least 47 people and a wounding 100 others, police officials said.
Most of the victims were Shiite Muslim pilgrims, police said.
The attacks Wednesday comes after mortar rounds landed on pilgrims in northwestern Baghdad's Kadhimiya Shiite neighborhood Sunday leaving at least seven people dead and 20 others wounded.
Hundreds of thousands of Shiite pilgrims have begun walking to Kadhimya for the annual commemoration of the death of Imam Moussa al-Kadhim on Saturday. Many will be traveling by foot or by car, some from across the country, especially southern Shiite provinces.
The shrine to al-Kadhim in Baghdad is one of Shiite Islam's holiest sites.
