Shi’ites were targeted in a wave of blasts and other attacks, while many of them were taking part in Ashura rituals. Overall, at least 50 people were killed and 131 more were wounded. This solemn holiday marks the martyrdom of Imam Hussein in the 7th century and has become a symbol of the Shi’ite-Sunni schism. Sunnis, however, also suffered casualties in today’s violence. Millions of pilgrims are expected to arrive in the holy city of Karbala and will be easy targets for militants.
In Baquba, nine people were killed when three bombs targeting Shi’ite pilgrims exploded; another 35 people were wounded.
A suicide car bomber attacked a Tikrit police checkpoint, where he killed 11 people and wounded 21 more.
An explosion near a policeman’s home in Garma drew spectators to three more blasts that killed four people and wounded 24 more.
An I.E.D. killed three policemen and wounded eight more in Abu Ghraib. Another bomb wounded three policemen.
In Baghdad, gunmen killed two brothers in Yusufiya. A military officer was shot dead in Adhamiya. Gunmen tried to assassinate a mayor, but they wounded five bystanders in stead.
Clashes in Qayara left five gunmen dead, while a police officer and a soldier were wounded.
Four gunmen were killed in Jazira.
Two bombs in Kirkuk wounded five people, including two civilians. Eight civilians were wounded in a blast targeting pilgrims.
In Badush, a bomb killed three policemen and wounded two more.
A clash in Said Ghraib left two gunmen dead and five policemen wounded.
In Mosul, two policemen were shot to death at a checkpoint. A bomb wounded a policeman.
A roadside bomb in Riyadh killed one soldier and wounded four more.
In Saniya, a bomb killed a soldier and wounded four more.
A sniper assassinated the mayor of Falluja and wounded two bodyguards; and engineer was also wounded.
An I.E.D. in Samarra wounded a policeman.
