Pilgrims undeterred by bombers' carnage

reuters
More than a million Shiite Muslim pilgrims have poured into Iraq's holy city of Karbala, defying sectarian attacks that have killed about 200 people in two days of bloodshed.

A suicide bomber killed at least 26 people in a cafe north of Baghdad in Diyala province, which has seen frequent sectarian violence.

The bomber targeted a neighbourhood in the town of Balad Ruz where Shiite Kurds live.

And at least 25 Shiite pilgrims were killed as they streamed into Karbala, including 10 by a car bomb in southern Baghdad that also left 12 Iraqi police dead.

The fresh violence, in the face of tight security, came a day after some 140 pilgrims died in suicide bombings and shootings.

Despite the carnage, Shiites, who were oppressed under Saddam Hussein but now dominate politics, vowed not be deterred by attacks they blame on Sunni Arab militants.

"These acts will not stop us," said Jabar Ali, who walked for eight days from the southern city of Basra to Karbala for Shiite mourning ceremonies.

Shiite Prime Minister Nouri Maliki launched a United States-backed security crackdown last month that has had some success in reducing death squad killings blamed on Shiite militias. But there has been no let-up in bombings, many of which target Shiite communities who say they need the militias to protect them from Sunni Arab insurgents.

US Defence Secretary Robert Gates said yesterday that 2200 military police would be sent over to deal with detainees picked up as part of the new Baghdad security plan.

Maliki has called a weekend meeting with Iraq's neighbours and world powers - including the US and its foes Iran and Syria - to enlist their support in stopping the violence.

Shiites are commemorating Arbain, the end of 40 days of mourning since Ashura, which marks the death of Prophet Muhammad's grandson in 680 AD.

Under Saddam, they were banned from making the pilgrimage.

Around 1.5 million pilgrims were in Karbala yesterday. About 10,000 police and soldiers were deployed in and around the city. Sixty checkpoints had been set up and vehicles were banned from the city centre.

- REUTERS