Bombings Target Shiite Iraqis

Violence gripped Iraq on Monday during Ashura commemorations, one of the holiest Shiite ceremonies. Three bombs targeted Shiite pilgrims in Iraq’s Hilla city, killing at least 22—mostly women and children—and wounded 60 more. And in the capital of Baghdad, at least seven people were killed and another 13 wounded by a roadside bomb—Shiites were also the target. Ashura commemorates the death of the Prophet Muhammad’s grandson and defines Shiites, presenting an easy target for Sunnis who wish to inflame sectarian tensions. A Sunni insurgent group with links to Saddam Hussein’s Baath Party said on Monday it would attack U.S. personnel even after troops withdraw at the end of the month.