9 killed as suicide bomber attack Shiite pilgrims in Baghdad
A suicide bomber targeted Shiite Muslims taking part in an
annual pilgrimage in Baghdad on Monday, killing nine people and wounding
another 21, Iraqi security officials said.
The attack targeted a checkpoint along a route used by Shite
pilgrims in the northern Baghdad neighborhood of al-Shaab. Four soldiers who
were guarding the route were among the dead, reports AP.
It was the first attack on Shiite pilgrims in Baghdad during
the lead-up to the religious commemoration known as Arbaeen, when Shiite
faithful converge on the holy city of Karbala. The annual commemoration is
often marked by violence despite tight security measures to protect the
pilgrims, many of whom travel to Karbala on foot.
Arbaeen marks the passing of 40 days after the anniversary
of the seventh century martyrdom of Imam Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet
Muhammad and a central figure in Shiite Islam. Iraqi officials say they expect
the number of pilgrims this year to top last year's record of more than 17
million.
Earlier Monday, two roadside bombs in commercial districts
of Baghdad killed five people and wounded 16, according to the Iraqi security
officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to
release the information.
No one claimed Monday's attacks, but the Islamic State group
has repeatedly targeted the country's Shiite majority, viewing them as
apostates deserving of death. The extremist group swept across Iraq in 2014,
capturing a third of the country and declaring it part of a self-styled Islamic
caliphate.
On Monday, Iraq's military told civilians to leave the
IS-held city of Ramadi, 115 kilometers (70 miles) west of Baghdad, indicating
that an operation could soon be underway to retake the city. IS captured
Ramadi, the capital of Anbar province, in May.
The military statement, broadcast on Iraqi state TV, said
families should leave the city from the south, without providing further
details.
The U.S.-led coalition carried out seven airstrikes near
Ramadi on Saturday, targeting IS fighters, positions and weapons caches.
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