2010 Baqubah bombings

The 3 March 2010 Baqubah bombings were a series of three bombings in Baqubah, Iraq, on 3 March 2010 that killed at least 33 people and injured 55 others.[2][3] Baqubah, a mixed Sunni and Shia town, is the capital of Diyala Governorate, approximately 40 miles (64 km) north of the country's capital, Baghdad.[4]

3 March 2010 Baqubah bombing
LocationBaqubah, Iraq
Date3 March 2010
9:30 – (UTC+3)
Attack type
Car bombs/Suicide bombs
Deaths33[1]
Injured55

The bombings occurred in the lead-up to the parliamentary elections scheduled for 7 March 2010.[5][6] At 9:45 am local time, a car bomb was detonated near a police station in the western part of the city. A few moments later, approximately 100 yards (91 m) away,[1] another car bomb was detonated near the provincial building.[7] A suicide bomber later detonated a bomb at the hospital where some of the wounded were being treated.[8] The hospital bomber posed as a police lieutenant and rode an ambulance to the hospital.[1][9] A fourth bomb was found near the hospital and defused.[10]

After the bombings, a full curfew was imposed on the city of Baqubah, barring even pedestrians.[11] Among the dead were ten policemen,[12] and Dr. Ali al-Timimi, head of Diyala Governorate's health department.[13]

The perpetrator of the bombings has yet to be identified, but Al-Qaeda in Iraq had previously promised to disrupt the elections on 7 March.[14] Authorities, both American and Iraqi, have reportedly warned that more attacks could occur before, and even after the elections.[1] Despite the concerns, early voting began, as scheduled, the morning of 4 March.[15]

United States response

Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell said "It's disgraceful, it's deplorable. We strongly condemn it, that said, neither this attack nor any of the previous attempts to derail the electoral process and to destabilise the government have been or will be successful."[16]

See also

References
  1. Levinson, Charles (4 March 2010). "Suicide Bombs Rock Iraq Before Vote". The Wall Street Journal. Dow Jones & Company. Archived from the original on 5 March 2010. Retrieved 4 March 2010.
  2. Santora, Mark (3 March 2010). "Bombers Kill Dozens as Iraq Vote Nears". The New York Times. New York, NY. Archived from the original on 4 March 2010. Retrieved 4 March 2010.
  3. "Suicide bombers target Iraq city". Al-Jazeera. 3 March 2010. Archived from the original on 4 March 2010. Retrieved 4 March 2010.
  4. England, Andrew (3 March 2010). "Suicide bomb attacks kill 30 in Iraq". The Financial Times. Retrieved 4 March 2010.
  5. Sly, Liz; Redha, Usama (3 March 2010). "Iraq suicide bombings kill 31 as elections near". The Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, CA. Archived from the original on 4 March 2010. Retrieved 4 March 2010.
  6. "Suicide Bombings in Baqubah, Iraq Kill 32 (video)". Associated Press. 3 March 2010. Retrieved 4 March 2010.
  7. Londoño, Ernesto (3 March 2010). "Pre-election bombings kill dozens in Iraqi city". The Washington Post. Washington, DC. Retrieved 4 March 2010.
  8. August, Oliver (4 March 2010). "Suicide attacks kill at least 32 in Baquba". The Times. London, UK. Retrieved 4 March 2010.
  9. Hubbard, Ben (3 March 2010). "Triple bombing kill 32 ahead of Iraqi vote". The Associated Press. Retrieved 4 March 2010.
  10. Spencer, Richard (3 March 2010). "Iraq hit by triple suicide bomb ahead of election". The Telegraph. London, UK. Retrieved 4 March 2010.
  11. Allam, Hannah (3 March 2010). "At least 33 Iraqis die in 3 pre-election bombings". Miami Herald. McClatchy Newspapers. Retrieved 4 March 2010.
  12. Jansen, Michael (4 March 2010). "10 policemen among 33 killed in Iraq suicide attacks". The Irish Times. Dublin. Retrieved 4 March 2010.
  13. "30 killed in Diyala triple bombings". China Daily. 3 March 2010. Retrieved 4 March 2010.
  14. "Q&A: Iraqi parliamentary polls". BBC News. 3 March 2010. Archived from the original on 4 March 2010. Retrieved 4 March 2010.
  15. Santora, Marc (4 March 2010). "Following Suicide Attacks, Early Voting Begins in Iraq". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 9 March 2010. Retrieved 4 March 2010.
  16. Landers, Kim; Knight, Ben (4 March 2010). "Baghdad braces for big attack ahead of vote". ABC News. Sydney, Australia: Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 9 April 2010. Retrieved 4 March 2010.
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