{{Short description|Anti-Shia terrorist attacks in Iraq during the U.S. occupation}} {{Infobox terrorist attack | title = Karbala Ashura massacre | location = Karbala and Baghdad, Iraq | target = Shi'a Muslims commemorating the Ashura festival, including the Kazimiya shrine | date = March 2, 2004 | partof = Iraqi insurgency (2003–2006) in Iraqi insurgency (2003–2011) | type = bombing (including car bombs and suicide bombers); mortar, grenade and rocket attacks | fatalities = at least 80–100 | injuries = at least 150–200 | perps = Unknown (Jama'at al-Tawhid wal-Jihad suspected) | motive = Anti-Shi'a sentiment }} {{Campaignbox Iraq War bombings}}
The '''Ashura massacre''' of March 2, 2004 in Iraq was a series of planned terrorist explosions that killed at least 80–100 and injured at least 200 Iraqi Shi'a Muslims commemorating the Day of Ashura.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/02/international/middleeast/blasts-at-shiite-ceremonies-in-iraq-kill-more-than.html?_r=0|title=Blasts at Shiite Ceremonies in Iraq Kill More Than 140|work=New York Times|date=2 March 2004|access-date=18 March 2017|archive-date=19 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170319111133/https://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/02/international/middleeast/blasts-at-shiite-ceremonies-in-iraq-kill-more-than.html?_r=0|url-status=live}}</ref> The bombings brought one of the deadliest days in the Iraq occupation after the Iraq War to topple Saddam Hussein.
==The attacks== Nine explosions were detonated in Karbala, accompanied by mortar, grenade, and rocket fire, killing over 100 people, while three explosions near the Kadhimiya Shrine in Baghdad killed 58 more. Though the attack involved armed squads, car bombs, and up to a dozen suicide bombers, there was also an explosive-laden vehicle which was intercepted while trying to enter Basra, as were two suicide bombers in Karbala and others in Baghdad who had entered via Syria. The squads armed with rockets and small arms were meant to kill those wounded by the blasts as well as to trap those trying to flee the carnage.
Brigadier General Mark Kimmitt, the American commander in Baghdad, accused Abu Musab al-Zarqawi as being "one of the chief suspects" involved in directing the attacks.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/03/02/sprj.nirq.main/|date=2 March 2004|title=Deadly attacks rock Baghdad, Karbala|work=CNN|access-date=18 March 2017|archive-date=11 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190111145926/http://edition.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/03/02/sprj.nirq.main/|url-status=live}}</ref> Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, a highly influential Shiite in Iraq, blamed the U.S. for allowing the attacks to occur, but Kimmitt had agreed with Shiite leaders to vacate the shrines out of respect for cultural differences.
US appointed Iraqi governing council condemned the attacks and announced a mourning period of three days. Due to this decision, the signing of an interim Iraqi constitution, which had been scheduled for Wednesday, was postponed as confirmed by Abdul Aziz al-Hakim, a council member.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Deadly attacks rock Baghdad, Karbala – Mar. 2, 2004 |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/03/02/sprj.nirq.main/ |access-date=2023-03-07 |website=CNN |archive-date=2023-03-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230307055306/https://edition.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/03/02/sprj.nirq.main/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{more footnotes|date=December 2014}} *{{Cite web |url=http://terrorism.9f.com/eng.ashoura.htm |title=The Ashoura Attacks |access-date=2007-02-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070330135055/http://terrorism.9f.com/eng.ashoura.htm |archive-date=2007-03-30 |url-status=dead }} *[https://archive.today/20120722222751/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2004/03/04/1058458.htm Thousands mourn for Shiite bombing victims] *{{Cite web |url=http://cns.miis.edu/pubs/week/040330.htm |title=Possible Suspects and Motives for the Suicide Bombings In Iraq |access-date=2007-12-06 |archive-url=http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20040427195233/http%3A//cns.miis.edu/pubs/week/040330.htm |archive-date=2004-04-27 |url-status=dead }}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Ashura massacre 2004}} Category:Massacres in the Iraq War Category:Bombings in the Iraqi insurgency (2003–2011) Category:2004 murders in Iraq Category:March 2004 crimes in Asia Category:Suicide bombings in 2004 Category:Massacres in 2004 Category:Suicide car and truck bombings in Iraq Category:Suicide bombings in Baghdad Category:Terrorist incidents in Iraq in 2004 Category:Karbala in the Iraq War Category:Improvised explosive device bombings in Karbala Category:Basra in the Iraq War Category:2004 in Baghdad Category:21st-century mass murders in Baghdad Ashura Category:Attacks on Shiite mosques in the Iraq War Category:March 2004 in Iraq Category:Iraq–Syria border Category:Ashura Category:Car and truck bombings in 2004 Category:2004 building bombings Category:Mosque bombings in Baghdad Category:Massacres of Shia Muslims Category:Grenade attacks in Iraq