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More than 80 killed, mostly Iranian pilgrims, in truck bomb attack near Baghdad | |
(35 minutes later) | |
A truck bomb at a gas station has killed at least 80 people south of Baghdad, Iraq, according to authorities cited by Reuters. The attack, claimed by Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL), likely targeted Iranian Shiite pilgrims. | |
At least 32 others were injured by the explosion, Iraqi officials told AP. | At least 32 others were injured by the explosion, Iraqi officials told AP. |
The blast, which took place in the village of Shomali, 120km southeast of the capital Baghdad, ripped through a gas station at which seven buses carrying pilgrims were parked. | The blast, which took place in the village of Shomali, 120km southeast of the capital Baghdad, ripped through a gas station at which seven buses carrying pilgrims were parked. |
"At least seven buses with pilgrims were inside the petrol station at the time," a police officer told AFP. | "At least seven buses with pilgrims were inside the petrol station at the time," a police officer told AFP. |
The pilgrims were returning from Arbaeen in the city of Karbala, a major religious event for Shiite Muslims. | The pilgrims were returning from Arbaeen in the city of Karbala, a major religious event for Shiite Muslims. |
It commemorates the day Hussein Ibn Ali, the grandson of the Prophet Mohammed, was martyred in the Battle of Karbala, and is one of the world's largest religious observances. | It commemorates the day Hussein Ibn Ali, the grandson of the Prophet Mohammed, was martyred in the Battle of Karbala, and is one of the world's largest religious observances. |
"Those buses were loaded with Iranians, Bahrainis and Iraqis," a police source told AFP. | |
IS, the extreme Sunni militant group, has claimed responsibility for the attack. |