|
Mortar attacks kill 41 Shiite pilgrims in Iraq
[Al Arabiya Latest] A mortar bomb attack on the last day of a major mourning ceremony in Iraq killed 41 Shiite pilgrims and wounded more than 144 others on Friday in an atrocity blamed on al-Qaeda and Saddam Hussein loyalists.The bomb struck pilgrims who were leaving the holy shrine city of Karbala, 110 kilometers (68 miles) south of Baghdad, where more than a million devotees had gathered to mark the festival of Arbaeen. It was the third major attack this week on worshippers who have for weeks been travelling there on foot for the climax of the event earlier on Friday. A provincial health ministry official earlier gave the death toll and said 150 others were wounded. "A mortar round was launched from fields northeast of the city," provincial governor Amalheddin al-Hir told AFP. "I accuse al-Qaeda who are being supported by the Baath party," he said, referring to Saddam's outlawed political movement. Arbaeen marks 40 days after the Ashura anniversary commemorating the slaying of Imam Hussein, grandson of Prophet Mohammed (PBUH), in 680 AD. A series of suicide attacks have seen dozens of pilgrims killed in recent days. Hir said earlier that 10 million worshippers had visited the Imam Hussein shrine in the past two weeks, walking as a sign of piety, with the ceremonies culminating at midday (0900 GMT) on Friday. "The visitors included Arabs and about 100,000 foreigners from the Gulf states, Syria, Lebanon, Iran, Tanzania, the United States, Norway and Belgium," Hir said. Posted by: Fred 2010-02-06 |
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=289757 |