Bombing at Shiite Shrine in Baghdad leaves dozens dead and injured

by **Ssmith** Sat Jul 09, 2016 3:22 pm

Bombing at Shiite Shrine in Baghdad leaves dozens dead and injured

Iraq Sun Friday 8th July, 2016

Bombing at Shiite Shrine in Baghdad leaves dozens dead and injured Uni1467971222

• Two bombers blew themselves up near the gate of the mausoleum

• Third bomber barged into the shrine and threw hand grenades at pilgrims

• The attack has come four days after ISIS carried out its worst bombing in Baghdad killing 292 people

BAGHDAD, Iraq - At least 36 were killed and over 50 were injured in yet another wave of suicide bombing in Baghdad on Friday.

Suicide bombers dressed as military men infiltrated a Shiite Shrine and reportedly detonated their bombs.

While two of the bombers blew themselves up near the gate of the mausoleum, the third bomber penetrated into the shrine and threw hand grenades at pilgrims. According to local sources, he was struck dead before he could detonate his vest.

All three bombers were able to get through the crowd due to a previous distraction in which a few other militants threw mortars on the Shiite shrine.

Immediately after the bombing, 20 militants launched an attack on the police and militia guards which continued for almost half an hour.

Reinforcements from the federal, local police and members of Popular Mobilisation Forces later helped in bringing down the militants, killing seven along the way.

No group has claimed the attack so far.

Dhamin al-Jibouri, the police commander of Salahuddin Province, said, “We don’t know yet what happened to the rest of the militants, but we are controlling the area again.”

As people take to the streets to protest against the government's inadequate response mechanism to the continuing attacks in the country, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi reportedly fired the three top security officials in Baghdad following the incident.

One of them, Interior Minister, Mohammed Salem al-Ghabban had handed in his resignation shortly after the Karrada bombing. The Prime accepted his resignation within the next 24 hours.

The other Ministers, Commander of Baghdad Operations and official responsible for Baghdad in the national security adviser's office were sacked.

A few other officials from security and Intelligence had also been dropped although no further details were revealed.

The shrine in Balad, which came under attack, was the mausoleum of Sayyid Muhammad bin Ali al-Hadi, a son of the 10th imam, revered highly among Shiites. Pilgrims had gathered there to celebrate end the holy month of Ramadan.

The mausoleum was not believed to be seriously damaged, authorities said, though the third bomber came within several feet of the tomb of the imam. Outside, however, the bombs ignited fires in a marketplace.

The attack has come merely four days after ISIS carried out its worst bombing in Baghdad so far, targeting a shopping complex in the Karrada district of the city leaving 292 people dead.

http://www.iraqsun.com/index.php/sid/245656519