Baghdad, Aug 19 : Two Iraqis were killed and 17 others injured, including Iranian Shiite pilgrims, in a car accident in Baghdad, a traffic police officer said.

The collision occurred on Sunday when a bus carrying pilgrims struck a car on a major road in the Dora neighbourhood in southern Baghdad, Xinhua news agency reported, citing Major Saad Hussein of the Iraqi traffic police.

The incident took place as thousands of Iranian pilgrims travelled to the holy city of Karbala to observe Arbaeen, which marks the end of a 40-day mourning period for Imam Hussein, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad, who was killed in the Battle of Karbala in 680 A.D.

The pilgrims usually visit the Al-Askari Shrine in Samarra, among other holy places in Iraq, as part of their tour to Karbala.

Two similar accidents on Friday killed two people and injured 71, mostly Iranian pilgrims.

/IANS