Sameer N. Yacoub
Iraq police: 3 bombs explode in Karbala, killing 6
BAGHDAD — Iraqi police and medical officials say three near simultaneous blasts have struck the southern Shiite holy city of Karbala, killing at least six people.
A police official said Wednesday the first blast took place at 4 p.m. near one of the city’s two major shrines.
Two more explosions followed soon after at the second shrine, the official added.
Police said at least 40 people have been wounded in the attacks. The casualties have been confirmed by an official at the Karbala hospital.
Both the police and medical official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to release the information.
Despite the dramatic drop in violence in Iraq, insurgents continue to target civilians, especially Shiites and their shrines.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below.
BAGHDAD (AP) — At least 85,000 people lost their lives from 2004 to 2008 in Iraq’s violence, according to the first official report by the Iraqi government on the death toll since the war begun.
The report, released by the Iraqi Human Rights Ministry late Tuesday as part of a larger study on the country’s human rights situation, said 85,694 people were killed from 2004-08, and 147,195 were wounded during the same period.
The Associated Press reported in April that just over 87,000 people died between 2005 and early 2009, according to government statistics it obtained.
The Iraqi death toll has been a hotly disputed subject and critics on both sides of the political spectrum have accused the other side of manipulating the death numbers to sway public opinion.
As Iraq became increasingly violent following the 2003 U.S.-led invasion, it also became increasingly difficult to independently track such figures on a wide scale.
The report was based on death certificates issued by the health ministry and constitutes the first official finding by a government ministry on the death toll since the war begun in 2003.
Statistics for 2003 have been extremely difficult to obtain as there was no functioning Iraqi government during that time and the interim Iraqi government was not seated until mid-2004.
The report described the years that followed the U.S.-led invasion, which toppled Saddam Hussein’s regime, as extremely violent years.
“Through the terrorist attacks like explosions, assassinations, kidnappings and forced displacements, the outlawed groups have created these terrible figures which represent a big challenge for the rule of law and for the Iraqi people,” it said.
The report also breaks down some specific numbers, saying 1,279 children and 2,334 women were killed. It also puts the death toll of the university professors at 263, judges at 21, lawyers 95 and journalists at 269 — some of the professions which were specifically targeted as the country descended into chaos.
The toll also included 15,000 unidentified bodies who were not claimed by their families and are buried in special cemeteries.
Related News
Iraqi police: Car bomb explodes near US base north of Baghdad, kills 1August 27th, 2009 Iraqi police: Car bomb kills 1 near US baseBAGHDAD — Iraqi police officials say a string of car bombs have targeted Iraqi security forces in and around Baghdad, killing one and wounding 19 people. The blasts come as security has tightened throughout Iraq ahead of the funeral of Iraqi Shiite leader Abdul-Aziz al-Hakim.
Series of blasts rock Baghdad near parliament in Green Zone, finance ministry, kill 12 peopleAugust 19th, 2009 Series of blasts in Baghdad kill at least 12BAGHDAD — A series of explosions struck the Iraqi capital Wednesday, targeting primarily government and commercial buildings, killing at least a dozen people and wounding more than 100 others, Iraqi officials said. The blasts follow a string of attacks in Iraq this month that have claimed more than 200 lives and left hundreds more wounded, raising concerns about the abilities of Iraqi security forces to keep the lid on violence in advance of the American withdrawal.
Explosions rock Baghdad near parliament in Green Zone, finance ministry, kill at least 11August 19th, 2009 Blasts hit Iraqi capital, kill 11 peopleBAGHDAD — Iraqi police and medical officials say at least four explosions have struck Baghdad, including one near the parliament building in the Green Zone, killing at least 11 people. The attacks hit the Iraqi capital shortly after 10 a.m.
Iraqi police: Bombs target Shiites in Iraq, killing 27, raising sectarian fearsAugust 7th, 2009 Police: 27 die in Iraq as bombs target ShiitesBAGHDAD — A series of bomb attacks targeting Shiite pilgrims and worshippers struck Iraq on Friday, killing at least 27 people and seriously damaging a mosque, police and medical officials said. The incidents are the latest in a series that have targeted Shiites, raising concerns that insurgents are stepping up attacks, hoping to re-ignite sectarian violence that nearly tore the country apart in 2006 and 2007.
Iraqi police: Death toll cimbs to 20 in bombing near Shiite mosque in northern IraqAugust 7th, 2009 Police: 20 killed in bombing in northern IraqBAGHDAD — An Iraqi police official says the number of people killed in a suicide car bombing near a Shiite mosque in northern Iraq has climbed to at least 20. The official says the bomb exploded as worshippers were leaving a mosque after Friday prayers in Rasheediyah, north of Baghdad.
Iraqi police: Roadside bomb targets bus in Baghdad, kills 4 Shiite pilgrimsAugust 7th, 2009 Police: Bomb kills 4 Shiite pilgrims in BaghdadBAGHDAD — Iraqi police and medical officials say a roadside bomb in Baghdad has killed four Shiite pilgrims on their way back from the southern holy city of Karbala. A police official says the bomb exploded at about 9:10 a.m.
Iraqi police: Bombs target Shiites in Iraq, killing 17, raising sectarian fearsAugust 7th, 2009 Police: 17 die in Iraq as bombs target ShiitesBAGHDAD — A series of bomb attacks targeting Shiite pilgrims and worshippers struck Iraq Friday, killing at least 17 people and wounding dozens more, police and medical officials said. The incidents are the latest in a series that have targeted Shiites, raising concerns that insurgents are stepping up attacks, hoping to re-ignite sectarian violence that nearly tore the country apart in 2006 and 2007.
Iraqi police: Bombs target Shiite pilgrims in Baghdad, killing 7, raising sectarian fearsAugust 7th, 2009 Police: 7 die in Baghdad as bombs target ShiitesBAGHDAD — A series of roadside bombs struck Shiite pilgrims returning from the southern holy city of Karbala to the Iraqi capital Friday, killing at least seven people, Iraqi police and medical officials said. The incidents are the latest in a series that have targeted Shiites, raising concerns that insurgents are stepping up attacks, hoping to re-ignite sectarian violence that nearly tore the country apart in 2006 and 2007.
Iraqi police: Roadside bombs target Shiite pilgrims in Baghdad, killing 7August 7th, 2009 Police: Bombs kill 7 pilgrims in BaghdadBAGHDAD — A series of roadside bombs targeting Shiite pilgrims returning from the southern holy city of Karbala struck the Iraqi capital Friday, killing at least seven people, Iraqi police and medical officials said. The attacks are the latest in a series that have targeted Shiites, raising concerns that insurgents are stepping up attacks against Shiite pilgrims, hoping to re-ignite sectarian violence that nearly tore the country apart in 2006 and 2007.
Iraqi police: Car bomb explodes near Shiite mosque in northern Iraq, killing 10August 7th, 2009 Police: 10 die in bombing in northern IraqBAGHDAD — An Iraqi police official says a parked car bomb has exploded near a Shiite mosque in northern Iraq, killing at least ten worshippers. The official says the bomb exploded Friday at about 1 p.m.
21,000 soldiers to safeguard Iraqi Shia religious festivalAugust 3rd, 2009 BAGHDAD - More than 21,000 Iraqi soldiers will provide security for Shia Muslims gathering in the city of Karbala in the coming days, a senior military officer said Monday. Hundreds of thousands of Shia Muslims are expected to converge on the tomb of Hussein, the Prophet Mohammed's grandson, who was killed in battle in Karbala in the year 680.
Iraqi blasts kill 12, injure 50May 6th, 2009 BAGHDAD - As many as 12 people were killed and another 50 injured Wednesday in terrorist attacks in the Iraqi cities of Baghdad and Kirkuk, police said. A car bomb at a market in the southern Baghdad neighbourhood of al-Dura went off early Wednesday killing 12 and injuring another 44, police and witnesses said.
Suicide bombing kills at least 40 in IraqFebruary 12th, 2009 BAGHDAD - A woman in the Iraqi town of Iskandariyah killed at least 40 people and left wounded at least 83 more, mostly women and children, when she detonated explosives strapped to her body Friday, the police said. According to the police, the woman concealed the explosives under her abaya, a long, traditional gown, and infiltrated a crowd of women and children on pilgrimage to Karbala, some 60 km south of Baghdad.
Death toll in Iraq bombing climbs to 10February 12th, 2009 BAGHDAD - The number of Shiite pilgrims killed when a bomb exploded in the southern Iraqi city of Karbala Thursday climbed to 10, Iraqi medics said Friday. Another 56 people were injured in the blast, many of them critically, hospital workers said.
At least 16 killed in two blasts in IraqFebruary 10th, 2009 BAGHDAD - At least 16 people were killed and more than 40 injured in two blasts in the most deadly of a series of attacks that rocked Iraq Wednesday, the Dubai-based al-Arabiya satellite network reported. The twin blasts in Baghdad followed an attack in the northern city of Mosul, some 400 km north of Baghdad.
Loading ...