Uncategorized

Shia pilgrims killed in Iraq bombings

Three bombs targeting Shia pilgrims in

Baghdad have killed at least 29 people and

wounded dozens more, Iraqi security and

medical officials said.

Thursday's attacks struck Mansur in west

Baghdad, Baab al-Sharji in the centre of the

city, and the neighbourhood of Shaab, as

worshippers prepared to commemorate the

death of a revered figure in Shia Islam, Imam

Mousa al-Kadhim.

Shia pilgrims are often targeted by Sunni

fighters who regard them as apostates, and in

past years, multiple attacks have been carried

out during the Imam Kadhim

commemorations.

Due to the heightened threat of attack, the

authorities had imposed heavy security

measures involving the closure of entire roads

in the capital.

The three bombings happened in the space of

30 minutes. The deadliest was in Baab al-

Sharji, where a minibus approached a crowd of

pilgrims and exploded, killing 14 people and

wounding 17 others, according to police and

medical sources.

"The suicide bomber… came speeding out from

a side street towards a group of pilgrims on

foot," said Police Captain Ahmed Nasir. "Many

bodies were ripped to pieces."

A blast targeting Shias also went off in the

town of Mishashda near Baghdad.

At least 10 more people died elsewhere in Iraq

on Thursday as gunmen and bombers attacked

mostly police and military, Reuters news

agency reported.

In the worst attack, gunmen broke into a

house in the northern city of Mosul and killed

a policeman, his brother and a cousin, a police

officer said.

Also in Mosul, gunmen shot dead a female Shia

ethnic Turkmen election candidate who had

failed to get into parliament after last month's

polls, police said.

Kofi Oppong Kyekyeku

I am a Ghanaian Broadcast Journalist/Writer who has an interest in General News, Sports, Entertainment, Health, Lifestyle and many more.

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Back to top button