MOSUL/ BERLIN: Grand Marajay, Ayaat, and religious and political leaders and organizations from different countries have severely condemned a suicide attack at a funeral procession in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul on Thursday that left at least 48 people martyred and over 100 injured.

In their separate statements, the Marajay, Ayaat, and leaders advised Iraqis to show patience and remain vigilant and careful thus thwart the conspiracy of enemy aimed at creating rift and destabilizing the country.

The explosion, near the Shahedain husseiniyah and mosque which is surrounded by cheap housing in Mosul's central At-Tameen neighborhood, came as United Iraqi Alliance, led by Sayyed Abdul Aziz Al-Hakim, and Kurdish politicians in Baghdad said they overcame a major stumbling block to forming a new coalition government.

The bomber struck as mourners crowded into a large tent pitched next to a smaller one on a grassy patch in the courtyard of the husseiniyah and mosque, which is still under construction.

Survivors scrambled to get the wounded to a hospital, lugging them to ambulances and cars in blankets or prayer rugs as a strong smell of gunpowder filled the yard.

"As we were inside the mosque, we saw a ball of fire and heard a huge explosion," said Tahir Abdullah Sultan, 45. "After that blood and pieces of flesh were scattered around the place."

Witnesses said the casualties were from various sections of Iraqi society, who had been at the funeral to express their condolences.

At first, some mourners thought it was an air strike — but once they smelled the gunpowder, they said they knew it was a suicide bombing.

The force of the blast shattered car windows and left pools of blood on the ground.  

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