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Baghdad car bombings target Shia pilgrims | Baghdad car bombings target Shia pilgrims |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Two separate car bomb attacks targeting Shia Muslim pilgrims in Baghdad have killed at least 32 people, Iraqi officials say. | Two separate car bomb attacks targeting Shia Muslim pilgrims in Baghdad have killed at least 32 people, Iraqi officials say. |
At least 14 died when the first bomb exploded on a route used by thousands of pilgrims in the Shula district. | At least 14 died when the first bomb exploded on a route used by thousands of pilgrims in the Shula district. |
The second blast, which happened nearby a few of hours later, killed at least 18 others, police and medics said. | The second blast, which happened nearby a few of hours later, killed at least 18 others, police and medics said. |
On Wednesday, a wave of attacks targeting Shia pilgrims left at least 70 people dead across the country. | On Wednesday, a wave of attacks targeting Shia pilgrims left at least 70 people dead across the country. |
The Islamic State of Iraq, a Sunni militant umbrella group that includes al-Qaeda, said it was behind those attacks. | The Islamic State of Iraq, a Sunni militant umbrella group that includes al-Qaeda, said it was behind those attacks. |
It was the worst single day of violence in Iraq since the last US troops withdrew in December. There has been a marked deterioration in the country's fragile political process since then. | It was the worst single day of violence in Iraq since the last US troops withdrew in December. There has been a marked deterioration in the country's fragile political process since then. |
Iraq's most prominent Sunni Arab politician, Vice-President Tariq al-Hashemi, is being tried in absentia on terrorism charges. He denies financing death squads told to kill Shia government and security officials. | |
'Terrorists will not discourage us' | 'Terrorists will not discourage us' |
Shia Prime Minister Nouri Maliki has also faced calls for a confidence motion in parliament from parties within his national unity government, which have accused him of breaking promises to share power. | Shia Prime Minister Nouri Maliki has also faced calls for a confidence motion in parliament from parties within his national unity government, which have accused him of breaking promises to share power. |
Thousands of Shia pilgrims had travelled to Baghdad on Saturday for the final day of the festival marking the anniversary of the death of Moussa al-Kadhim, the seventh Shia imam and great-grandson of the Prophet Muhammad. | |
The first bomb, which exploded just after 12:00 (09:00 GMT) in the north-western district of Shula, was left in a taxi abandoned on a main road used by the pilgrims visiting the shrine in the Kadhimiya district where the imam is said to be buried, police said. | |
"We rushed to the scene, there were dismembered bodies, shoes, plastic bags, women's robes left all around, and people were screaming everywhere," Ahmed Maati, a policeman who had been working nearby, told the Reuters news agency. | |
The second blast took place as pilgrims were returning from Kadhimiya. | |
At least 32 people were injured in the first attack, while 36 were hurt in the second, officials said. | |
One of the 22 co-ordinated bombings on Wednesday also targeted Shia pilgrims in Kadhimiya, killing seven people. Another blast near food tents for pilgrims in the Karrada district left another 16 dead. | One of the 22 co-ordinated bombings on Wednesday also targeted Shia pilgrims in Kadhimiya, killing seven people. Another blast near food tents for pilgrims in the Karrada district left another 16 dead. |
"The terrorists will not discourage us, even if they cut off our bodies into pieces," promised a song played over the Moussa al-Kadhim shrine's loudspeakers on Saturday, according to the Associated Press. |