44 killed across Iraq as attack targets Shia religious festival

Mourners stand near the coffins victims killed in a bomb attack, during their funeral in Najaf, 160 km (100 miles) south of Baghdad, November 14, 2013. (Reuters/Alaa Al-Marjani)

At least 44 people were killed and dozens were injured across Iraq on Thursday in a series of attacks against Shia pilgrims, including the suicide bombing at a religious precession in the east of the country.

A suicide bomber in a police uniform has detonated an explosives belt in a crowd of Shias during a religious holiday Ashoura in the town of al-Saadiyah, 140 kilometres (90 miles) northeast of Baghdad, killing 32 and injuring 80, AFP reported citing security and medical officials.

The pilgrims, who were mainly Shia Kurds, gathered to recreate the 7th century battle of Karbala and to celebrate the death of Imam Hussein, a grandson of Prophet Mohammad.

Most of the injured were taken to hospitals in Iraq's northern Kurdistan region.

"I was near a group of pilgrims and suddenly I heard a big explosion," Kadhim Al-Zarkooshi, a taxi driver who was wounded in the attack told Reuters, "then I found myself surrounded by corpses and wounded people, they were crying for help."

No terrorist group immediately claimed responsibility for the latest attack. However, the government blames Al-Qaeda for these bombings as the terror network often targets Shia and government forces.

Women mourn during a funeral of a victim killed in a bomb attack, in Najaf, 160 km (100 miles) south of Baghdad, November 14, 2013. (Reuters/Alaa Al-Marjani)

Ashoura is one of the year’s holiest days for Shia Muslims. During the holiday the security forces usually impose high security measures in Baghdad and all Shia-dominated cities.

This was the third attack this day to target Shiites.

Earlier two bombs exploded simultaneously near the tents with food among the Shia passing through Hafriyah, a town in southern Iraq capital, killing nine. Violence near Baghdad and in Diyala's provincial capital Baquba left three others dead.

According to UN only in October 979 people - including 158 police and 127 military personnel - were killed in Iraq. Over 7,300 people were killed in violence-torn nation in 2013 alone, making it the deadliest year since 2008

Comments

Why States Still Use Barrel Bombs

Smoke ascends after a Syrian military helicopter allegedly dropped a barrel bomb over the city of Daraya on Jan. 31.(FADI DIRANI/AFP/Getty Images) Summary Barrel bombs are not especially effective weapons. They are often poorly constructed; they fail to detonate more often than other devices constructed for a similar purpose; and their lack of precision means they can have a disproportionate effect on civilian populations. However, combatants continue to use barrel bombs in conflicts, including in recent and ongoing conflicts in Africa and the Middle East, and they are ideally suited to the requirements of resource-poor states. Analysis Barrel bombs are improvised devices that contain explosive filling and shrapnel packed into a container, often in a cylindrical shape such as a barrel. The devices continue to be dropped on towns all over Syria . Indeed, there have been several documented cases of their use in Iraq over the past months, and residents of the city of Mosul, which was re

Russia Looks East for New Oil Markets

Click to Enlarge In the final years of the Soviet Union, Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev began orienting his foreign policy toward Asia in response to a rising Japan. Putin has also piloted a much-touted pivot to Asia, coinciding with renewed U.S. interest in the area. A good expression of intent was Russia's hosting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in 2012 in Vladivostok, near Russia's borders with China and North Korea. Although its efforts in Asia have been limited by more direct interests in Russia's periphery and in Europe, Moscow recently has been able to look more to the east. Part of this renewed interest involves finding new export markets for Russian hydrocarbons. Russia's economy relies on energy exports, particularly crude oil and natural gas exported via pipeline to the West. However, Western Europe is diversifying its energy sources as new supplies come online out of a desire to reduce its dependence on Russian energy supplies . This has

LONDON POLICE INDIRECTLY ENCOURAGE CRIMINALS TO ATTACK RUSSIAN DIPLOMATIC PROPERTY

ILLUSTRATIVE IMAGE A few days ago an unknown perpetrator trespassed on the territory of the Russian Trade Delegation in London, causing damage to the property and the vehicles belonging to the trade delegation , Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said during the September 12 press briefing. The diplomat revealed the response by the London police was discouraging. Police told that the case does not have any prospects and is likely to be closed. This was made despite the fact that the British law enforcement was provided with video surveillance tapes and detailed information shedding light on the incident. By this byehavior, British law inforcements indirectly encourage criminals to continue attacks on Russian diplomatic property in the UK. Zakharova’s statement on “Trespassing on the Russian Trade Mission premises in London” ( source ): During our briefings, we have repeatedly discussed compliance with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, specif

ISDEI Instituto de Seguridad, Defensa y Estudios Internacionales

Search This Blog