Sunday, March 11, 2007
More pilgrims killed
Security
(BBC) Two bomb attacks in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, have left at least 29 people dead, police said. Nineteen people died in the Karrada district when a car bomb exploded near a truck carrying Shia pilgrims. In a separate incident, a suicide bomber blew himself up on a minibus in eastern Baghdad, killing 10 people. The latest violence comes a day after Baghdad hosted a conference on security, attended by world powers including the US, Syria and Iran.
In Karrada, a car bomber drove into a truck that was bringing about 70 men and boys home from the holy city of Karbala, south of Baghdad. Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims had gone to Karbala to mark the Arbaeen ceremony, one of the holiest events in the Shia calendar. "I blame the government," the Associated Press news agency quoted one man injured in the blast as saying. "They didn't provide a safe route for us even though they knew we were targets for attack."
Last week, in the run-up to the ceremony, scores of pilgrims were killed in bomb and gun attacks across Iraq.
Sunday's separate suicide attack happened in Baghdad's Shia stronghold of Sadr City, injuring at least eight people.
In Karrada, a car bomber drove into a truck that was bringing about 70 men and boys home from the holy city of Karbala, south of Baghdad. Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims had gone to Karbala to mark the Arbaeen ceremony, one of the holiest events in the Shia calendar. "I blame the government," the Associated Press news agency quoted one man injured in the blast as saying. "They didn't provide a safe route for us even though they knew we were targets for attack."
Last week, in the run-up to the ceremony, scores of pilgrims were killed in bomb and gun attacks across Iraq.
Sunday's separate suicide attack happened in Baghdad's Shia stronghold of Sadr City, injuring at least eight people.
Labels: bombings, Karrada, Sadr City, Shiite pilgrims
