20 June 2009 Taza bombing
Encyclopedia
The 20 June 2009 Taza bombing was an attack which took place in Taza near Kirkuk
, Iraq
on 20 June 2009 in a dominant Shia Turkmen
community. At least 73 people were killed and over 200 more were injured. Thirty homes were destroyed in the bombing.
The bombing was the worst attack in Iraq since March 2008, even worse than the twin 23 April 2009 Iraqi suicide attacks
in Baghdad
and Muqdadiyah
.
, as a result destroying several homes and slightly damaging the mosque. Mud-brick homes in the vicinity of the explosion collapsed, with the explosion leaving a deep crater at the point of detonation.
Following midday prayers, people were exiting the crowded Al-Rasoul mosque in Taza town when the explosion occurred. Those who were affected were removed to Azadi Hospital in Kirkuk, with children being placed in wards. 35 year-old Hussain Nashaat was wrapped in bandages when he spoke to reporters: "I was sitting in my house when suddenly a powerful blast shook the ground under me. I found myself covered in blood and ran outside in a daze. My lovely neighborhood was just rubble." People were buried alive.
Shortly after the bombing, the Kurdistan Regional Government
, under orders from the Iraqi ministry of defence
, started an 15 day operation "to follow terrorists and criminals in Kirkuk Province surroundings". 13 days later a high ranking officer reported that "during a joint raid by Iraqi military forces alongside US troops in Haweja town, Mahdi Salih a terrorist was arrested who was the Kirkuk two blasts mastermind on June 20"
In December, Adnan Jassim Ali al-Hamdani, Walid Mahmoud Mohammed al-Hamdani and Hawas Falah al-Juburi were convicted and sentenced to death for helping to plan the attack.
called the bombing an "ugly crime" which was "an attempt to harm security and stability and spread mistrust of the Iraqi forces".
Kirkuk
Kirkuk is a city in Iraq and the capital of Kirkuk Governorate.It is located in the Iraqi governorate of Kirkuk, north of the capital, Baghdad...
, Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
on 20 June 2009 in a dominant Shia Turkmen
Turkmen people
The Turkmen are a Turkic people located primarily in the Central Asian states of Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, and northeastern Iran. They speak the Turkmen language, which is classified as a part of the Western Oghuz branch of the Turkic languages family together with Turkish, Azerbaijani, Qashqai,...
community. At least 73 people were killed and over 200 more were injured. Thirty homes were destroyed in the bombing.
The bombing was the worst attack in Iraq since March 2008, even worse than the twin 23 April 2009 Iraqi suicide attacks
23 April 2009 Iraqi suicide attacks
The 23 April 2009 Iraqi suicide attacks were two separate suicide attacks which occurred in Baghdad and Muqdadiyah, Iraq, on 23 April 2009. At least seventy-six people are known to have died in the attacks, including several Iranian pilgrims. The Los Angeles Times puts the death toll at seventy-nine...
in Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
and Muqdadiyah
Muqdadiyah
Muqdadiyah is a city in the Diyala Governorate of Iraq. The city is located at , about 80 km northeast of Baghdad and 30 km northeast of Baquba, the capital of Diyala...
.
Incident
The attack took place in a residential area near a mosqueMosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
, as a result destroying several homes and slightly damaging the mosque. Mud-brick homes in the vicinity of the explosion collapsed, with the explosion leaving a deep crater at the point of detonation.
Following midday prayers, people were exiting the crowded Al-Rasoul mosque in Taza town when the explosion occurred. Those who were affected were removed to Azadi Hospital in Kirkuk, with children being placed in wards. 35 year-old Hussain Nashaat was wrapped in bandages when he spoke to reporters: "I was sitting in my house when suddenly a powerful blast shook the ground under me. I found myself covered in blood and ran outside in a daze. My lovely neighborhood was just rubble." People were buried alive.
Shortly after the bombing, the Kurdistan Regional Government
Kurdistan Regional Government
The Kurdistan Regional Government , , is the official ruling body of the predominantly Kurds-populated Kurdistan Region in Northern Iraq...
, under orders from the Iraqi ministry of defence
Ministry of Defence (Iraq)
The Ministry of Defence is the Iraq government agency responsible for Defence of Iraq. It is also involved with internal security.- Authority :...
, started an 15 day operation "to follow terrorists and criminals in Kirkuk Province surroundings". 13 days later a high ranking officer reported that "during a joint raid by Iraqi military forces alongside US troops in Haweja town, Mahdi Salih a terrorist was arrested who was the Kirkuk two blasts mastermind on June 20"
In December, Adnan Jassim Ali al-Hamdani, Walid Mahmoud Mohammed al-Hamdani and Hawas Falah al-Juburi were convicted and sentenced to death for helping to plan the attack.
Reaction
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-MalikiNouri al-Maliki
Nouri Kamil Mohammed Hasan al-Maliki , also known as Jawad al-Maliki or Abu Esraa, is the Prime Minister of Iraq and the secretary-general of the Islamic Dawa Party. Al-Maliki and his government succeeded the Iraqi Transitional Government. He is currently in his second term as Prime Minister...
called the bombing an "ugly crime" which was "an attempt to harm security and stability and spread mistrust of the Iraqi forces".
the Kurdistan Regional GovernmentKurdistan Regional GovernmentThe Kurdistan Regional Government , , is the official ruling body of the predominantly Kurds-populated Kurdistan Region in Northern Iraq...
president Massoud BarzaniMassoud BarzaniMassoud Barzani is the current President of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region and the leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party. Barzani was born in Mahabad, Iran, during the rule of the Republic of Mahabad...
condemned the bombings by saying: this coward act aims to disturb fraternity, peace and peaceful coexistence among the various constituents in Iraq and we for our part strongly condemn this criminal act. TurkeyTurkeyTurkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
's Foreign Ministry criticised the bombing and issued a statement expressing "profound sorrow". The statement said: "Turkey attaches great importance to the efforts to ensure peace and stability in Iraq and to provide a peaceful atmosphere among different ethnic and religious groups in Kirkuk. We strongly condemn this heinous attack. We want to reiterate once again that Turkey is opposed to all kinds of terrorism and the Turkish people sympathize with Iraqi people who lost their beloved ones in the attack. We are ready to take in those who were injured in the attack for medical treatment. We are taking all kinds of measures including dispatch of an ambulance helicopter to Iraq."
The Turkmen FrontIraqi Turkmen FrontThe Iraqi Turkmen Front is a political movement founded in 1995 which seeks to represent the Turkmen people of Iraq. Since the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003, the ITF has contested control of Kirkuk and other areas of northern Iraq....
announced three days of mourning and called for an "immediate investigation... and for the criminals to be brought to justice".