Tight Security For Shiite Gathering
Millions Of Pilgrims Converge On Iraqi Holy City Of Karbala
-
Play CBS Video Video Even Red States Down On Iraq Iraq is a key reason for President Bush's low approval rating. As Byron Pitts reports, support for the conduct of the war is slipping - even in places where nearly everyone backed it not long ago.
-
Video Al Qaeda In Iraq's No. 2 Held Authorities announced the arrest of al Qaeda's No. 2 leader in Iraq, Hamed al-Saeedi. As Mark Strassmann reports, it's a huge blow to the terrorism group.
-
Video Iraq And The Elections Some Republican candidates in the upcoming election have been adjusting their positions on Iraq in an effort to woo voters. Randall Pinkston has more details.
-
An Iraqi pilgrim walk towards the holy shrine of Imam Abbas to mark the birth anniversary of Shiite Imam Al-Mehdi, in Karbala, Iraq, Friday Sept. 8, 2006. (AP)
-
Interactive Attacks Map Details on the insurgency and terrorism that has continued to take lives since the fall of Saddam.
-
Interactive Religion In Iraq An interactive guide to Iraq's religious, ethnic and ideological mix.
-
Who's Who Iraq Insurgency More on the militant groups behind the insurgency in Iraq and their motivations.
About 4 million people were in Karbala for the festival observing the birthday of Imam al-Mahdi al-Muntadhar, a 9th-century religious leader, said Iraqi armed forces general command spokesman Brig. Qassim al-Musawi.
Iraqi army Maj. Gen. Samir Abdullah said Friday that security forces "have tightened their control on the ground and our only concern now is rockets launched from a far distance." Cars have been banned since Wednesday.
In Baghdad, a car bomb struck a U.S. military convoy, killing at least two passers-by and wounding five, police said. The U.S. military command did not release any information on possible U.S. casualties.
Iraqi authorities said police foiled an attempted car suicide bombing against a police station near a mosque in Baghdad's northern Azamiyah neighborhood. Police shot and killed the suicide bomber, detonating the explosives in his car, before he reached the police station, the Interior Ministry announced. But the blast killed one policeman and wounded 10 civilians, the ministry said.
In Karbala, authorities said 7,000 police, along with 2,000 Iraqi soldiers and 1,800 Interior Ministry commandos were securing the city, while Interior Ministry special forces were guarding its entrance.
The U.S.-led coalition was providing air support for the security measures, Iraqi Army Maj. Gen. Samir Abdullah said Friday. The coalition said it would "be on hand for support if needed," but could not reveal further details for security reasons.
Many people walk to Karbala, 50 miles south of Baghdad, from across the country, and there have been several attacks against processions heading to the city.
On Friday, three mortars struck a group of pilgrims in Musayyib, about 40 miles south of Baghdad, killing three and wounding 22.
Five days earlier, Iraqi soldiers clashed with gunmen near Karbala, leaving 14 militants and one Iraqi soldier dead, the prime minister's office said. Last week, 13 Pakistani and Indian Shiite pilgrims and their Iraqi driver were ambushed and killed as they drove to the city.
©MMVI, The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
- and I don't think we can buy it for them.
- Reply to this comment
- The USA is spending billons trying to help religious freedom in Iraq. Yet these same people we are trying to protect would deny the Jews the right to go to their holiest site, the Temple Mount. People that don't allow or believe in religious freedom don't have it.
- Reply to this comment
Grammy winner Shakira on her music career, philanthropy and being sexy..
