2015 Khan Bani Saad bombing explained

2015 Khan Bani Saad bombing
Partof:Iraqi Civil War
Location: Khan Bani Saad,
Diyala Governorate,
Iraq
Coordinates:33.5711°N 44.5419°W
Date:17 July 2015
Type:Mass murder, car bomb, suicide attack
Fatalities:120–130[1]
Injuries:at least 130[2]
Target:Shiites
Perps: Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL)
Weapons:Car bomb

A suicide car bombing occurred on 17 July 2015 in the Iraqi city of Khan Bani Saad, targeting a local marketplace. approximately 130 people were killed in the bombing, with a similar number of injured. Several people were killed by collapsed buildings. The bomb was hidden under an ice truck in an attempt to attract more people amid the heat. Responsibility for the attack was claimed by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).

Background

Prior to the attack, Iraqi officials had declared victory over ISIL in the Diyala Governorate where Khan Bani Saad is located after local forces and Shiite paramilitaries drove the ISIL members out of towns and villages. Insurgents, however, remained active in the governorate.

Bombing

According to two local police officials, the bomber announced he was selling ice and offering a discount because of the Eid al-Fitr holiday.[3] As the air temperature was around, the announcement attracted people to his ice truck.[3] The attacker then detonated a bomb, killing himself and between 120[2] and 130 people[1] and injuring at least 130 more. Fifteen children were among the dead.[4] Responsibility for the attack was claimed by the ISIL, which in a Twitter statement wrote that the attack had been conducted in response to the killing of Sunni Muslims in Hawija, and that 3tonnes of explosives had been used in the attack.[5]

Aftermath

In addition to those killed, 20 people were reported missing after the attack. Several buildings collapsed after the blast, crushing some people.[5] Police major Ahmed al-Tamimi assessed the damage as "devastating". The authorities of Diyala Governorate, where Khan Bani Saad is located, declared three days of mourning and cancelled Eid al-Fitr festivities.

Reactions

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: At least 130 dead in Iraq after massive bomb attack . . 18 July 2015 . 18 July 2015 . 18 July 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150718211514/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/at-least-130-dead-in-iraq-after-massive-bomb-attack/2015/07/18/01798182-74b9-4388-a2ed-cee7fd54976d_story.html . live .
  2. Web site: Iraq violence: Car bomb kills scores in mainly Shia town. BBC. 18 July 2015. 18 July 2015. 17 July 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150717235140/http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-33577817. live.
  3. Web site: Sinister ISIS plot kills 120, wounds 140 in Iraq. CNN. 19 July 2015. 19 July 2015. 21 July 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150721002155/http://edition.cnn.com/2015/07/18/middleeast/iraq-violence. live.
  4. Web site: ISIS claims Iraq car bomb attack, 90 killed. Al Arabiya. 17 July 2015. 18 July 2015. 1 December 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171201043421/http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2015/07/17/Car-bomb-kills-21-celebrating-Eid-in-Iraq.html. live.
  5. News: Islamic State claims suicide car bomb that kills more than 100 in Iraq. Reuters. 17 July 2015. 18 July 2015. 17 March 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160317013242/http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-iraq-blast-idUSKCN0PR21A20150717. live.
  6. News: At least 130 are dead in Iraq after a massive bomb attack. Mustafa Salim. Loveday Morris. 18 July 2015. The Washington Post. 19 July 2015. 18 July 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150718211514/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/at-least-130-dead-in-iraq-after-massive-bomb-attack/2015/07/18/01798182-74b9-4388-a2ed-cee7fd54976d_story.html. live.
  7. News: White House Condemns 'Abhorrent' Car Bombing At Iraqi Market. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 18 July 2015. Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty. 19 July 2015. 19 July 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150719104518/http://www.rferl.org/content/white-house-condemns-islamic-state-iraq-bombing/27136074.html. live.
  8. Web site: Foreign Office Minister condemns Iraq car bomb attack. 18 July 2015 . 19 July 2015. 22 July 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150722004550/https://www.gov.uk/government/news/foreign-office-minister-condemns-iraq-car-bomb-attack. live.
  9. Web site: Death toll in Iraq market bombing more than 130 . 19 July 2015 . 19 July 2015 . The Brics Post . 13 May 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160513030836/http://thebricspost.com/iraq-market-bombing-death-toll-passes-115/#.VawE2Sqqqkp . live .