Despite increases in security for the Eid al-Adha holiday, at least 11 Iraqis were killed and 32 more were wounded in today’s violence. The worst attack took place at a market in Baghdad that has been the scene of numerous attacks during prayer days and other religious observances.
In Baghdad, four bombs exploded at the al-Arabi Souk in Shorjah, killing at least 10 people and wounding as many as 29 more. Many of the victims were there buying essentials for the Eid al-Adha festival. The four bombs were planted in different locations within the large, ancient marketplace. Apparently, the bombers also used gasoline to set off a fire that spread to an adjacent commercial building and created a dark plume of smoke over the city.
The Eid al-Adha holiday began today for Sunnis and begins tomorrow for Shi’ites. Whether the bombs were targeting one group or the other is unclear, but they did take advantage of a crowded holiday market for creating mayhem.
Three people were wounded in separate double bombing in the capital.
In Mosul, a bomb killed a soldier.
The kidnappings in Kirkuk continued with the abduction of a five-year-old Turkman child.
