Karbala stampede
Date | 10 September 2019 |
---|---|
Location | Karbala, Iraq |
Coordinates | 32°36′59″N 44°02′01″E / 32.61639°N 44.03361°E |
Type | Crowd crush |
Deaths | 31 |
Non-fatal injuries | 102[1] |
The Karbala stampede occurred on 10 September 2019, 31 people were killed and approximately 100 more were injured in a
Background
Ashura is an important holiday in the Islamic calendar, marking the death of Husayn ibn Ali (Imam Hussein), a grandson of Muhammad. He was killed in 680 AD in the Battle of Karbala which became a central event to Shia Islam. Since then, the first ten days of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar, are a national holiday in Shia Islamic countries, with the tenth day culminating in Ashura.[3]
The Ashura day of mourning in Karbala was the target of a terrorist attack in 2004, when
Stampede
One of the common events during the commemoration of Ashura in Karbala is the
Authorities came in to calm the crowds and assess the damage. At least 31 people were killed in the chaos, with at least 100 injured and sent to local hospitals. At least 10 of those injured were in critical condition.[4]
Reactions
Authorities are investigating the cause of the event. Iraqi president
References
- ^ "At least 31 dead in stampede at Ashura rituals in Iraq's Karbala". The Hindu. 11 September 2019. Retrieved 11 September 2019.
- ^ a b c d "Officials: 31 Iraqi pilgrims die in stampede during holiday". AP News. 10 September 2019.
- ^ a b c d e "Iraq stampede kills 31 at Ashura commemorations in Karbala". BBC News. 10 September 2019.
- ^ "More than 30 killed in mass stampede at Iraqi Shia shrine". Aljazeera. 10 September 2019. Retrieved 11 September 2019.
- ^ "No Pakistani among those killed in Karbala stampede". The News. 11 September 2019. Retrieved 11 September 2019.
- ^ "FO confirms no Pakistani among those killed in Karbala stampede". The Frontier Post. 11 September 2019. Retrieved 11 September 2019.