This article is from the source 'rtcom' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.rt.com/news/362871-baghdad-shiite-suicide-bombing/
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| At least 31 killed by suicide bombing at Shi’ite gathering in Baghdad | At least 31 killed by suicide bombing at Shi’ite gathering in Baghdad |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A suicide bomber killed at least 31 people and wounded about 30 in Baghdad on Saturday, police and medics said as cited by Reuters. The bomber detonated an explosive vest at a Shi’ite Muslim gathering. | A suicide bomber killed at least 31 people and wounded about 30 in Baghdad on Saturday, police and medics said as cited by Reuters. The bomber detonated an explosive vest at a Shi’ite Muslim gathering. |
| The blast took place inside a tent filled with people taking part in Shi’ite rituals, marking Ashura, which commemorates the killing of Prophet Mohammad’s grandson Hussein in the 7th century. | The blast took place inside a tent filled with people taking part in Shi’ite rituals, marking Ashura, which commemorates the killing of Prophet Mohammad’s grandson Hussein in the 7th century. |
| The tent was placed at a crowded market in Baghdad’s northern al-Shaab district. | The tent was placed at a crowded market in Baghdad’s northern al-Shaab district. |
| Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) terrorist group has claimed responsibility for the attack, according to SITE website that monitors the group’s publications on the web. | |
| The group has carried out similar attacks in the past. It was behind last Sunday’s bombing in eastern Baghdad that hit a tent where Shi’ites were distributing refreshments, killing at least five people and wounding 22 others. Iraqi officials said a total of three bomb attacks have killed 10 people and wounded at least 37 across the Iraqi capital the same day. | |
| Shi’ite Muslims in Iraq are frequently attacked by IS, which consists of Sunni extremists who regard Shi’ites as heretics. | |
| Around 30,000 Iraqi security personnel have been deployed to the city of Karbala, a holy site and place of pilgrimage during Ashura celebrations, to protect Shi’ite pilgrims. The city is where Imam Hussein is buried. Marking his death is not just a signature festival of mourning for Shi’ite Muslims, it also lies at the heart of the Sunni- Shia split, making Ashura a target for sectarian attacks. | |
| READ MORE:Shia Muslims mark religious festival of Ashura with prayers and self-flagellation (PHOTOS, VIDEO) | |
| Ashura is mostly marked by Muslims through prayer and voluntary fasting, but Shi’ites often reenact the martyrdom of Hussein by participating in self-flagellation. This fact has been criticized by some Muslim leaders who have said the graphic scenes of self-harm cast the event in a negative light. |