Female Suicide Bomber Kills 35 in Iraq

[unhappycamper]

Female Suicide Bomber Kills 35 in Iraq
February 13, 2009
Associated Press

BAGHDAD - A female suicide bomber attacked a procession of Shiite pilgrims - many of them women and children - south of Baghdad on Friday, killing 35 people and injuring 65 others, officials said. It was the third straight day of deadly bombings against Shiite pilgrims.

The bomber detonated her explosives among pilgrims walking to the holy city of Karbala for Shiite religious ceremonies, a police official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media.

Interior Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Abdul-Karim Khalaf confirmed the attack and said security officials were rushing to the scene, located between the cities of Mussayib and Iskandariyah about 40 miles (60 kilometers) south of Baghdad.

Two medical officials in nearby hospitals, speaking on condition of anonymity for the same reason, confirmed the number of dead and wounded and said most were women and children.

The attacks against the pilgrims appear to be part a Sunni extremist campaign to rekindle the sectarian conflict that nearly plunged the country into full-scale civil war two years ago.


Rest of article at: http://www.military.com/news/article/February-2009/female-suicide-bomber-kills-35-in-iraq.html?col=1186032310810