More than 100 people were killed Wednesday at an event honoring former Iranian general Qassem Soleimani in what local authorities called a “terrorist” attack.
Thousands of Iranians gathered at a cemetery in Kerman to mark the fourth anniversary of Soleimani's death and hold photos of the former commander of the Revolutionary Guard's elite Quds Force as authorities said two bombs had exploded. I carried it with me.
According to Iranian state media, the first explosion occurred just 700 meters from Soleimani's tomb, and the second one a kilometer away.
graphic video share online Emergency crews were then called to the scene and footage showed the crowd fleeing as bodies lay on the ground.
Footage suggests the second explosion occurred about 15 minutes after the first, a tactic often used by terrorist groups to target emergency responders and increase the death toll.
The two bombs were reportedly placed in suitcases and detonated by remote control.
“The explosion was caused by a terrorist attack,” one local official said. “Several gas cylinders exploded on the road leading to the cemetery.''
On Wednesday morning, the death toll from the explosion rose rapidly, with Kerman city's emergency services chief telling state media that by 10 a.m. ET, the death toll had risen to 103.
A further 141 people were injured.
Following the apparent attack, Iranian Attorney General Gholam Hossein Mohseni-Ejei said the perpetrators would be found and punished.
“The intermediaries and perpetrators of this serious crime will definitely be punished,” Mohseni-Ejei said in a statement. According to Al Jazeera.
“Responsible intelligence, security and law enforcement agencies have a duty to promptly track down all evidence and perpetrators and bring them to justice.”
No one has yet claimed responsibility for the attack.
But Iran has multiple enemies that could be behind it, including exile groups, extremist organizations, and state actors.
In addition to Hamas, the country provides financial support to Hezbollah and Yemen's Houthi rebels, both of which are currently fighting Israel.
Israel has been accused of attacking Iranian military facilities with drones in the past, and Sunni terrorist groups like ISIS have carried out bombings of civilian targets in the Shiite-majority country.
Who was Soleimani?
Qasem Soleimani was considered a national hero among supporters of Iran's theocracy, but he was a threat to U.S. interests after supporting armed terrorists with roadside bombs that killed and injured U.S. soldiers. It was also regarded as
He helped secure victory for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad after the 2011 Arab Spring protests against him escalated into civil war.
In 2020, then-President Trump killed a general in a drone strike.
“When we receive information of an attack, we will also take pre-emptive action to protect our troops and protect American lives. The situation has changed,” Secretary of Defense Mark Esper said in response to the attack.
The statement also said Soleimani was “actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and military personnel in Iraq and throughout the region.”
Esper added: “This attack was aimed at deterring future plans to attack Iran.”
But Soleimani's death has since sparked a backlash and widespread protests against the United States.
His funeral in 2020 caused a crowd that left at least 56 people dead and more than 200 injured.
with post wire
