One Dead, Scores Injured in Terrorist Attack North of Baghdad
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – An explosion hit an area near the al-Aimmah bridge north of Baghdad on Monday, killing at least one and injuring 30 others.
Iraqi sources said security forces are investigating the incident that happened yesterday evening.
The explosion was caused by two hand grenades that detonated in a garbage dump near the bridge, sources said.
The Iraqi news website Al-Ma’aloumah says the explosion struck the path used by Shiite pilgrims to visit the holy shrine of their seventh imam, Musa al-Kadhim (AS), whose martyrdom anniversary falls on March 9 this year, in al-Kadhimiya region.
Iraq's intelligence agency said it had arrested three members of a terror cell earlier in the day who were planning a suicide attack on pilgrims of Imam al-Kadhim.
Baghdad's Operation Command said the pilgrims will continue their annual march to the mosque.
A few hours after the incident, Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi also visited the scene of the explosion.
The Monday explosion came the same day Pope Francis left Baghdad after a historic three-day visit to Iraq.
