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| Around 100 killed, mostly Iranian pilgrims, in truck bomb attack near Baghdad | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A truck bomb at a gas station has killed approximately 100 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 city of Hilla 100 kilometers southeast of the capital, Baghdad, ripped through a gas station where seven buses carrying pilgrims were parked. | The blast, which took place in the city of Hilla 100 kilometers southeast of the capital, Baghdad, ripped through a gas station where 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 in 680 AD. It 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 in 680 AD. It is one of the world's largest religious observances. |
| "Those buses were loaded with Iranians, Bahrainis and Iraqis," a police source told AFP. | "Those buses were loaded with Iranians, Bahrainis and Iraqis," a police source told AFP. |
| In an online statement, the terrorist Sunni group Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) claimed responsibility for the attack. IS, which considers all Shiites apostates worthy of death, has been stepping-up attacks outside its territory in recent months in response to an ongoing offensive on Mosul, its stronghold in Iraq, by US-backed forces. | In an online statement, the terrorist Sunni group Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) claimed responsibility for the attack. IS, which considers all Shiites apostates worthy of death, has been stepping-up attacks outside its territory in recent months in response to an ongoing offensive on Mosul, its stronghold in Iraq, by US-backed forces. |
| According to local journalist Altaf Ahmad, the bomb had actually been placed under one of the buses.“An improvised explosive device, or sticky bomb, was placed under one of the buses that was packed with pilgrims,” she told RT, adding “seeing how it was at a local gas station, it seems that there was a huge fire and this led to even further injuries.”“[But] these are also only preliminary reports. We could expect the number of casualties to rise even further,” she warned. | According to local journalist Altaf Ahmad, the bomb had actually been placed under one of the buses.“An improvised explosive device, or sticky bomb, was placed under one of the buses that was packed with pilgrims,” she told RT, adding “seeing how it was at a local gas station, it seems that there was a huge fire and this led to even further injuries.”“[But] these are also only preliminary reports. We could expect the number of casualties to rise even further,” she warned. |