Twin blasts,Martyrs 17 Mourners of Imam Hussain(as)

12 December, 2010 10:41

Twin blasts,Martyrs 17 Mourners of Imam Hussain(as)

At least 17 mourners of Imam Hussain as, including policemen, have been Martyred and many others injured following twin bomb explosions in Iraq’s western Anbar province.

According to Iraqi police and hospital officials, the blasts occurred on Sunday near the provincial council building inÂ Ramadi, Anbar’s capital, 70 miles (115 kilometers) west of Baghdad.

The first explosion was heard at 10 a.m. (0700 GMT), martyred at least 17 mourners of Imam Hussain as,who was on the way of Karbala, among them six members of the police force.Shiite News reported.

At least 23 mourners of Imam Hussain as have also been left wounded in the Sunday attack.

Only minutes later, a second bomb was found in a nearby parking lot. Police say they have detonated it in a safe area.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack.

Government officials in Anbar, a former al-Qaeda stronghold, have frequently been targeted by militants.

The violence comes days before the climax of the Shia commemoration ceremony of Ashura on Thursday.

The tenth day of Muharram, which is known as Ashura, marks the anniversary of the martyrdom of Prophet Mohammad’s grandson, Imam Hussein (PBUH).

Every year on Ashura thousands of Muslims from all over Iraq and neighboring countries hold mourning ceremonies and many head for the holy city of Karbala, where the shrine of Imam Hussein (PBUH) is located.