A series of apparently coordinated bombings targeting Muslim holy places of worship (Husseiniyahs) in north Iraq killed at least eight people and wounded 33 on Friday.

A series of apparently coordinated bombings targeting Muslim holy places of worship (Husseiniyahs) in north Iraq killed at least eight people and wounded 33 on Friday, a medical official said.

A car bomb targeted the Khezal al-Tamimi husseiniyah in central Kirkuk at about 12:55 pm local time (09:55 GMT), followed by a bombing at Imam Ali husseiniyah in the city's northeast, and three bombings at Al-Mustafa husseiniyah in south Kirkuk, security and medical officials said.

Sadiq Omar Rasul, the head of Kirkuk health department, told Agence France Presse that eight people were killed and 33 wounded in the attacks.

Hadi Qanbar, who had been praying at Al-Mustafa husseiniyah, said that worshippers were told about the attack on Khezal al-Tamimi and began to leave.

"But when we left, explosions happened one after another," he said. "We do not know why we were targeted."

Hassan Hussein, who was at Khezal al-Tamimi at the time of the attack, said the explosion happened behind the husseiniyah.

Violence in Iraq is down dramatically from its peak between 2006 and 2008, but attacks remain common with 278 people killed in August, according to an AFP tally based on reports from security officials and medics.