Iran condemns Iraq terror attack

Iraqi policemen inspect the aftermath of a mortar and bombing attack on the mausoleum of Sayyid Muhammad bin Ali al-Hadi (PBUH) in the city of Balad, situated 80 kilometers (50 miles) north of Baghdad, July 8, 2016. (Photo by AFP)

Iran’s Foreign Ministry has strongly condemned a recent deadly terrorist attack by the Takfiri group of Daesh in the vicinity of a holy shrine north of the Iraqi capital, Baghdad.

Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi on Friday called the terror attack in the Iraqi city of Balad “reprehensible.”

The official further expressed condolences to the survivors of the attack and urged unity on the part of the international community in confrontation with Takfiri terrorism and the savage actions of the groups subscribing to such extremism.

On Thursday, at least 40 people lost their lives and 75 others were injured when Daesh militants carried out a bombing and shooting attack near a holy Shia mausoleum in Balad, north of the Iraqi capital.

A terrorist blew himself up at the external gate of the mausoleum of Sayyid Muhammad bin Ali al-Hadi (PBUH). Militants then stormed the site and started shooting at pilgrims. Another bomber detonated his explosives in the middle of the crowd, who were celebrating the end of the fasting month of Ramadan. Security forces killed a third bomber and defused his explosives.

Takfiri militants also fired several mortar rounds at the mausoleum during the attack.

A terrorist attack earlier on Sunday killed nearly 300 people in the Iraqi capital’s Karrada neighborhood.