What to Know:
Fars News Agency has released footage showing one of the blasts from Wednesday’s double suicide bombing in Kerman, Iran, at a memorial service for IRGC General Qassam Soleimani, which killed 100 people and wounded over 200 others. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack.
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The Attack:
The bombings took place on the fourth anniversary of the killing of IRGC General Qassam Soleimani and targeted a civilian procession heading to his grave at the Garden of Martyrs cemetery. According to a statement by ISIS made through their Amaq News Agency, the first bomber detonated a suicide vest in the middle of a crowd and the second detonated about 20 minutes later, which is a tactic commonly used to strike first responders and crowds that form.
Following the attack, ISIS said:
“By the grace of God Almighty, and within the campaign “And kill them wherever you find them,” the two martyrs (Omar Al-Muwahid) and (Saif Allah Al-Mujahid) – may God Almighty accept them – set out towards a large gathering of polytheist Shiites, near the grave of their dead leader “Qassem Soleimani” in the city of Kerman, southern Iran. Yesterday, they detonated their explosive belts in the middle of the crowd, killing and wounding more than 300 polytheist Shiites. Praise be to God. Let the polytheist Shiites know that the Mujahideen are waiting for them and their projects, God Almighty willing.”
Past Attacks:
ISIS, a Sunni extremist group, frequently targets Shia muslims, who they view as apostates and heretics.
ISIS militants have previously attacked Iran targeted Shia places of worship:
- 2022 Imam Reza shrine stabbings: Two Shia clerics killed by ISIS militant
- 2022 Shah Cheragh shrine attack: ISIS gunmen kills 15 Shia pilgrims and wounds over 40 others
- 2023 Shah Cheragh shrine attack: ISIS gunman kills two and wounded 7 others
ISIS statements following the Kerman bombing referred to the victims as ” polytheist Shiites” and warned that the “Mujahideen are waiting for them.”