While participating in Ashura holiday rituals today, many Shi’ites became easy targets for Sunni militants. Ashura commemorates the martyrdom of Imam Hussein and symbolizes the schism between Shi’ites and Sunnis. Nevertheless, about two million pilgrims safely reached the holy city of Karbala for observances there.
At least 67 people were killed and 152 more were wounded.
In Saidiya, a suicide bomber dressed in a military uniform attacked Shi’ite pilgrims recreating a historic battle. At least 32 people were killed and 80 more were wounded. A second suicide bomber, possibly in nearby Baquba, killed 16 more and wounded another 27 pilgrims. Because Diyala is a confessionally mixed province, it has been the scene of many attacks on Shi’ite pilgrims, not only this year but in years past as well.
Nine people were killed and 28 more were wounded when two I.E.D.s exploded in Suwayra/Hafriya at a tent offering refreshments to pilgrims.
In Mosul, an I.E.D. killed two soldiers and wounded two more. A security official escaped an assassination attempt. Mortars targeting pilgrims wounded a policeman instead. A bomb wounded three more policemen. A bomb at a policeman’s home killed his son and wounded his wife.
Four gunmen were killed and three policemen were wounded in a clash.
Gunmen killed an imam at his home in Baquba.
Twin bombings in Kirkuk wounded five people.
A child was wounded during a rocket attack in Tal Afar.
An I.E.D. in Tikrit left one policeman with injuries.
