Pilgrims to Shia Shrines in Iraq Killed

Al-Askiriya Mosque as rebuilt, Samara, Iraq

Source: Wikipedia Commons

Iraq contains some of the most important shrines for the Shia sect of Islam including those at Karbala where in past years a number of pilgrims have been killed. Yesterday's New York Times reported on a series of killings of pilgrims, including persons coming from predominantly Shiite Iran to visit the sacred sites in Iraq. The paper reports seven blasts at various sites around Baghdad killing at least 16 people and injuring many more. The Shia pilgrimage sites in Iraq were off-limits for pilgrims from Iran for many years. While the government of Iraq now allows Iranians to visit, friction between Sunni and Shia in Iraq has resulted in periodic, violent and deadly attacks against Shia pilgrims at and en-route to or from the shrines. Both Iraqi and non-Iraqi pilgrims have been targets of Shia bombs over the past eight years.

Pilgrims have been targets of terrorists in Iraq, but so also have been the pilgrimage sites themselves. In 2006 a terrorist bomb destroyed the golden dome of the al-Askari mosque at Samarra, about 125 km from Baghdad, and much of the mosque was left in ruins, Al-Askari and its golden domed mosque is one of the most important Shia pilgrimage sites, behind only Karbala and Najaf in significance. The next year the two golden minarets and a clock tower on the site were also destroyed by terrorist bombs. While none of the buildings were very old, they were covered in gold leaf and contained the remains of two of the most revered early imams of Shia Islam. The mosque and minarets have been rebuilt, and pilgrims have resumed visiting the sacred site. Among some Sunni Muslims in Iraq the pilgrimage site at al-Askari is also revered.

The Shi'ite Askariya shrine in Samarra, Iraq, June 23, 2003. The sacred mosque was destroyed February 22, 2006. (Mandi Wright/Detroit Free Press/KRT)

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