Car bombs rock Iraqi city of Karbala, 12 dead, 150 wounded

[News_Editor]

Car bombs rock Iraqi city of Karbala, 12 dead, 150 wounded

2011-01-24 22:17:55 GMT+7 (ICT)

KARBALA, IRAQ (BNO NEWS) -- Two car bomb explosions rocked the Iraqi holy city of Karbala on Monday morning, killing at least twelve people and injuring scores of others, Aswat al-Iraq news agency reported.

The first car bomb exploded at about 7 a.m. local time in the eastern side of Karbala. The blast occurred in a parking lot as many Shiite Muslims were there. A second explosive device was found nearby but was defused before exploding.

Hours later, a second car bomb exploded in the Ibrahimiya district, approximately 5 kilometers to the east of the city. Overall, at least 12 people were killed and 150 wounded.

Shiite Muslims were the target of the two explosions. Many of them are traveling to the mausoleum of Imam al-Hussein Ibn Ali in Karbala, 110 kilometers southwest of Baghdad, to celebrate the Arbaeen.

The religious celebration marks he 40th day after the death of Imam al-Hussein, the Prophet Muhammad’s grandson and the third holiest figure for Shiite Muslims.

Last Wednesday, a vehicle loaded with explosives was detonated by a suicide bomber and thus causing the death of two civilians and injuring at least 15 other Shiite visitors who were traveling in a road between Diyala and Baghdad.

Karbala, which is the capital of Karbala Governorate, has a population of more than 570,000 people and is located about 100 kilometers (60 miles) southwest of Baghdad, the Iraqi capital.

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