2008 Karbala bombing
| 2008 Karbala bombing | |
|---|---|
 Location of Karbala | |
| Location | Karbala, Iraq |
| Date | 17 March 2008 (UTC+3) |
Attack type | suicide bomb |
| Deaths | At least 42 |
Non-fatal injuries | 58 |
| ||||||
The 2008 Karbala bombing occurred on 17 March 2008 in Karbala, Iraq.
Background
Karbala is a city in central Iraq, 80 km (50 mi) south of Baghdad.[1] It is home to the Imam Husayn Shrine, one of the holiest sites of Shiite Islam.[1] The city had seen several other suicide bombs in the past, including one in April 2007 that killed about 100 people.[1]
There were two other insurgent attacks the day of the bombing, including a mortar attack and several suicide bombs, both in Baghdad.[1] The attacks coincided with a visit by US Vice President Dick Cheney.[1]
Perpetrator
No group has claimed responsibility. Iraqi 'officials' suspected al-Qaeda insurgents behind the bombing. The governor of Karbala province said the bomber had been a woman but gave few other details.[1]
Details
The suicide bomb detonated outside a cafe near the shrine.[1] Mohammed Kadhem, 39, a witness to the bombings claimed that he "saw smoke and bodies."[1]
Victims
The bombings killed at least 42 people and injured 58.[1] The dead include seven Iranians.[1]