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IS Terrorists Kill, Injure Tens of Iranians

IS Terrorists Kill, Injure Tens of Iranians
IS Terrorists Kill, Injure Tens of Iranians

The self-styled Islamic State terrorist group killed and injured over 100 people, most of them Iranian pilgrims, in a suicide bomb attack in Hilla, south of Iraqi capital Baghdad.

The Thursday attack was carried out near a petrol station, using an explosive-laden truck that blasted five buses full of Arbaeen pilgrims en route back to their countries, IRNA reported.

Iraqi officials said the IS vehicle was packed with 500 liters of ammonium nitrate, a chemical compound used in many explosive devices.

Iranian sources said on Friday that the blast left 71 dead, 24 of whom were identified as Iranians and 14 others suspected to be of Iranian nationality.

There were also 30 wounded, 24 of whom Afghans and six Iranians.

Hamid Kamali, a representative of the Iranian Red Crescent Society in Iraq, told ISNA that many bodies are beyond recognition.

Islamic State, a takfiri group that considers all Shias to be apostates punishable by death, claimed responsibility for the attack in an online statement.

There were conflicting reports on the number of causalities and their nationalities.

Sources said there also were Iraqis, Bahrainis, Afghans and Pakistanis at or near the fuel station at the time. The pilgrims were returning from the Iraqi holy city of Karbala, where they had commemorated Arbaeen, the 40th day of mourning for the martyrdom of Imam Hussein (PBUH), a grandson of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), in the 7th century AD.

A medial source told IRNA that 59 bodies and parts of bodies of 14 others were to be transferred via Najaf airport to be indentified using DNA tests in Iran.

Nine Afghans who were injured while passing by the station in a van have been transferred to Iran.

*** Signs of Desperation

President Hassan Rouhani expressed condolences to the families of victims on Friday, saying the callous attack further   "showed the depth of desperation of bloodthirsty, ignorant" terrorists offended by the "glorious Arbaeen ritual", which was held last week and attended by more than 20 million pilgrims.

He said his government is determined to fight terrorists and extremists.

"[Iran] is sure that with unity and solidarity among Iraqi people, we will witness the final victory over terrorist groups and their backers."

Iran is providing Iraqi forces with advisory assistance in an offensive launched on Oct. 17 to retake Mosul, the last major Iraqi city under IS control.

A number of world leaders and officials also condemned the attack on Friday against innocent civilians.

 

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