Two Suicide Bomb Attack in Iraq Kill 120

6 Jan 2006 Two suicide bomb attack in Iraq kill 120

Two suicide bombers have killed at least 120 people and wounded dozens in two Iraqi cities, Karbala and Ramadi, in central Iraq.
The first attack near a major Shia shrine in Karbala killed at least 60 people and left 100 wounded and later, a suicide bomber killed around 60 people and wounded 60 others when he blew himself up outside a police recruiting centre in Ramadi.

In Karbala, the bomber blew himself up at around 1000 Hrs local time (0700 GMT) on Thursday, 05th Jan '06, in a crowded pedestrian area between the Imam Hussein shrine and the nearby shrine to Imam Abbas. The area is popular with pilgrims and there are also many market stalls between the two shrines. Many foreign pilgrims may be among the casualties.
Karbala is revered as being the site of the death of the great Shia martyr Imam Hussein, a grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, in 680 A.D.

The US military said the explosion in Ramadi occurred at 1055 Hrs local time (0755 GMT 05th Jan '06), outside a police center, where screening for Iraqi police officers was taking place.
The suicide bomber blew himself up among a crowd of around 1,000 applicants, who were queuing outside on the fourth and final day of a recruitment drive in the city.
Iraqi police and officials are regularly targeted by insurgents.
Iraqi television showed body parts and torn clothing in pools of blood.
Survivors were being evacuated in ambulances, cars and vans.

Thursday's attack was the bloodiest attack in the city since March 2004, when 85 people were killed and 230 were wounded when co-ordinated bombings near Karbala's main mosque targeted Shias who were celebrating the festival of Ashura.

The attack aimed at driving a wedge between Iraq's religious groups and destabilising the political process.
Iraqi President Jalal Talabani said those who thought the attacks would drive a wedge between Iraq's religious groups and destabilise the political process were wrong.
Discussions are going on between Shia, Sunni and Kurdish parties to establish a coalition government once the final results from December's parliamentary elections are released.

PAST BLOODIEST ATTACKS IN IRAQ

18 Nov 2005 - 80 dead Multiple bombings in Baghdad and two Khanaqin mosques

14 Sept 2005 - 182 dead Suicide car bomber targets Baghdad labourers

16 Aug 2005 - 90 dead Suicide bomber detonates fuel tanker in Musayyib

28 Feb 2005 - 114 dead Suicide car bomb hits government jobseekers in Hilla

24 Jun 2004 - 100 dead Co-ordinated blasts in Mosul and four other cities

2 Mar 2004 - 140 dead Suicide bombers attack Shia people in Karbala & Baghdad

1 Feb 2004 - 105 dead Twin attacks on Kurdish parties' offices in Irbil

28 Aug 2003 - 85 dead Car bomb at Najaf shrine kills Shia cleric Muhammad Baqr Hakim and many others