Friday, January 28, 2011

Iraq: Sunni Jihadists Bomb Shi'ite Funeral, Murdering 41

From Jihad Watch:

Iraq: Sunni jihadists bomb Shi'ite funeral, murdering 41


Shi'ites then began stoning Iraqi security forces. Sunni-Shi'ite Jihad Update: "Bomb strikes funeral, killing 41 in Baghdad," by Hamid Ahmed for Associated Press, January 27 (thanks to Sr. Soph):



BAGHDAD - A car bomb ripped through a funeral tent in a mainly Shiite area of Baghdad on Thursday, killing at least 41 people and prompting scuffles between police and Iraqis angry about security failures.

The blast and three other small bombings Thursday were the latest in more than a week of attacks that have killed more than 200 people, raising fears about an uptick in violence as the U.S. military prepares to withdraw from the country.



The violence has mainly targeted the majority Shiite community and Iraqi security forces, posing a major challenge to Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and his fragile coalition government that was seated last month.



The car that exploded about 2 p.m. Thursday had been parked with the vehicles of other mourners, several yards (meters) away from the funeral tent, so it wouldn't raise suspicion, police said. Several other cars were set ablaze and nearby houses were damaged.



At least 41 people were killed and 75 wounded, according to police and hospital officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to release the information.



Young men furious over the lack of security began pelting Iraqi security forces at the scene with stones.



Anger was still high three hours later, and Iraqi troops fired in the air to disperse a crowd of residents gathering for a demonstration against the failure to prevent the bombings. Iraqi helicopters buzzed overhead.....



The current wave of attacks began Jan. 18 with a suicide bombing that killed 65 police recruits in Saddam Hussein's hometown of Tikrit, followed by two blasts on subsequent days against two security force headquarters in Baqouba that killed a total of 10 people.



The Islamic State of Iraq, an al-Qaida front group, claimed responsibility for the three attacks north of Baghdad.



Separate car bombings targeting Shiite pilgrims mourning the death of one of their most beloved saints also killed 82 people, while 22 others were killed in sporadic violence elsewhere....



Posted by Robert on January 27, 2011 7:43 AM

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