2010 Baqubah bombings explained
The 3 March 2010 Baqubah bombings were a series of three bombings in Baqubah, Iraq, on 3 March 2010 that killed at least 33 people and injured 55 others.[1] [2] Baqubah, a mixed Sunni and Shia town, is the capital of Diyala Governorate, approximately 40miles north of the country's capital, Baghdad.[3]
The bombings occurred in the lead-up to the parliamentary elections scheduled for 7 March 2010.[4] [5] At 9:45 am local time, a car bomb was detonated near a police station in the western part of the city. A few moments later, approximately 100yd away,[6] another car bomb was detonated near the provincial building.[7] A suicide bomber later detonated a bomb at the hospital where some of the wounded were being treated.[8] The hospital bomber posed as a police lieutenant and rode an ambulance to the hospital.[9] A fourth bomb was found near the hospital and defused.[10]
After the bombings, a full curfew was imposed on the city of Baqubah, barring even pedestrians.[11] Among the dead were ten policemen,[12] and Dr. Ali al-Timimi, head of Diyala Governorate's health department.[13]
No organization has claimed responsibility for carrying out the bombings. The Islamic State of Iraq organization had previously promised to disrupt the elections on 7 March.[14] Authorities, both American and Iraqi, have reportedly warned that more attacks could occur before, and even after the elections. Despite the concerns, early voting began, as scheduled, the morning of 4 March.[15]
United States response
Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell said "It's disgraceful, it's deplorable. We strongly condemn it, that said, neither this attack nor any of the previous attempts to derail the electoral process and to destabilise the government have been or will be successful."[16]
See also
Notes and References
- News: Bombers Kill Dozens as Iraq Vote Nears. Santora. Mark. 3 March 2010. The New York Times. 4 March 2010. New York, NY. https://web.archive.org/web/20100304035411/http://www.nytimes.com//2010//03//04//world//middleeast//04iraq.html. 4 March 2010 . live.
- Web site: Suicide bombers target Iraq city . 3 March 2010. Al-Jazeera. 4 March 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20100304030427/http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2010/03/201033961873832.html. 4 March 2010 . live.
- News: Suicide bomb attacks kill 30 in Iraq. England. Andrew. 3 March 2010. The Financial Times. 4 March 2010. 4 March 2010. https://archive.today/20100304051101/http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/ca52f004-26c8-11df-bd0c-00144feabdc0.html. live.
- News: Iraq suicide bombings kill 31 as elections near . Sly . Liz . Redha, Usama . 3 March 2010 . The Los Angeles Times . 4 March 2010 . Los Angeles, CA . https://web.archive.org/web/20100304214348/http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-fg-iraq-bombing4-2010mar04%2C0%2C7848363.story . 4 March 2010 . live.
- News: Suicide Bombings in Baqubah, Iraq Kill 32 (video). 3 March 2010. Associated Press. 4 March 2010. 18 April 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210418051807/https://www.globalconflictmaps.com/2010/03/03/suicide-bombings-in-baqubah-iraq-kill-31/. live.
- News: Suicide Bombs Rock Iraq Before Vote . Levinson. Charles. 4 March 2010. The Wall Street Journal. Dow Jones & Company. 4 March 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20100305111024/http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704541304575099592811311992.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_sections_world. 5 March 2010 . live.
- News: Pre-election bombings kill dozens in Iraqi city. Londoño. Ernesto. 3 March 2010. The Washington Post. 4 March 2010. Washington, DC. 4 March 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200304164124/https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/03/AR2010030300644.html?hpid=topnews. live.
- News: Suicide attacks kill at least 32 in Baquba. August. Oliver. 4 March 2010. The Times. 4 March 2010. London, UK. 5 June 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110605005907/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/iraq/article7048804.ece. live.
- News: Triple bombing kill 32 ahead of Iraqi vote. Hubbard. Ben. 3 March 2010. The Associated Press. 4 March 2010. 8 March 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20100308030744/http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hwK_CSpBxsNuVUEaDuOwmSSCiqGwD9E7BD4G2. dead.
- News: Iraq hit by triple suicide bomb ahead of election. Spencer. Richard. 3 March 2010. The Telegraph. 4 March 2010. London, UK. 13 April 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210413213045/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iraq/7361744/Iraq-hit-by-triple-suicide-bomb-ahead-of-election.html. live.
- News: At least 33 Iraqis die in 3 pre-election bombings. Allam. Hannah. 3 March 2010. Miami Herald. McClatchy Newspapers. 4 March 2010.
- News: 10 policemen among 33 killed in Iraq suicide attacks. Jansen. Michael. 4 March 2010. The Irish Times. 4 March 2010. Dublin. 20 October 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20121020094242/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/world/2010/0304/1224265559279.html. dead.
- News: 30 killed in Diyala triple bombings. 3 March 2010. China Daily. 4 March 2010. 23 November 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201123143949/http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/world/2010-03/03/content_9533016.htm. live.
- News: Q&A: Iraqi parliamentary polls . 3 March 2010. BBC News. 4 March 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20100304040522/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8547906.stm. 4 March 2010 . live.
- News: Following Suicide Attacks, Early Voting Begins in Iraq. Santora. Marc. 4 March 2010. The New York Times. 4 March 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20100309035359/http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/05/world/middleeast/05iraq.html. 9 March 2010 . live.
- News: Baghdad braces for big attack ahead of vote. Landers. Kim. Knight, Ben. 4 March 2010. ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 4 March 2010. Sydney, Australia. https://web.archive.org/web/20100409001423/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/03/04/2835999.htm?section=justin. 9 April 2010 . live.
