Kufa Bombing (Again)
The bombing this morning in Kufa follows the familiar pattern. Kufa has been bombed repeatedly. As markfromireland wrote on July 06, 2006
Kufa’s one of three religiously important cities placed in a cluster south of Baghdad, it Najaf and Karbala are all in close proximity to one another.
It was founded by Sa’ad ibn Abi Waqqas (one of the companions of the prophet) at the same time as Basra and was the capital of ‘Alī ibn Abī Tālib (Imam Ali.) Who was murdered there by Kharajites while he was performing morning prayers in the mosque.
The shrine is built over the tombs of Muslim ibn Aqil and Hani ibn Arwa beside it is Ali’s headquarters protected by a very imposing wall.
The town itself is relatively poor. Muqdata alSadr has a considerable presence there and often preaches in Kufa.
That is something of an understatement. Kufa is one of his main bases. Today’s bombing like the one on July 18, 2006 and the December 31st bombing has caused major discontent at the the seeming complete unwillingness of the authorities in Najaf, Karbala, and Kufa, to secure the cities.
As we have documented repeatedly when the police finally got around to “securing” the scene they were berated by locals as “traitors”, “useless”, and “American agents”.
Compounding the ineptitude was the authoritys’ slowness to send either ambulances or fire fighters to an area that includes a school and many wooden structures.
The casualty toll so far is 16 dead and 70 wounded including women and children this is expected to rise as many of the wounded are in serious condition.
Security in Karbala and in Najaf including a total ban on vehicles entering the city has been stepped.
Security in Karbala, Najaf, and Kufa, is handled by the SCIRI and Da’awa party dominated governorate authorities. Their ineptitude is likely to further diminish support for the Da’awa government based in the green zone and increase it for the Sadrists.
Saba Ali Iihsan
Update:
I have now been able to confirm from local sources this report from AFP:
Saba
Indexed under: bomb, bombing, Bombings, Car bomb, Follow Up, Karbala, Kufa, Najaf