Two explosions occurred at a commemoration ceremony marking the anniversary of the killing of Iranian General Soleimani. According to state media, at least 103 people were killed and around 140 were injured.
On the fourth anniversary of the death of the powerful Iranian general Qassem Soleimani, at least 103 people were killed in two explosions in his hometown of Kerman. Around 140 were injured, state media reported, citing the emergency services in the city of Kerman. The number of deaths could still rise.
The explosions occurred near Soleimani’s gravesite. The deputy governor of Kerman, Rahman Jalali, spoke of a terrorist attack without providing any concrete evidence.
Iranian General Qassem Soleimani (archive photo: March 27, 2015)
Explosions every ten minutes
The bombs exploded ten minutes apart, Irna quoted the mayor of Kerman as saying. The Iranian news agency Tasnim reported that two bags of explosives exploded on site. The perpetrators “apparently detonated the bombs using remote control,” Tasnim said.
In a segment broadcast live on state television, bangs and screams could be heard. During a reporter’s live broadcast, rescuers could be seen rushing to a hospital with injured people in the background.
Soleimani was killed in a drone strike in 2020
It is still unclear who is responsible for the attack. Initially, no group claimed responsibility for the alleged attack. Terror attacks of this magnitude are extremely rare in Iran. Iran is a major supporter of militant groups in the region – such as Hamas, Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthi rebels in Yemen.
Soleimani was commander of the Quds Force and responsible for Iran’s military strategy in the region. The USA killed him in a drone strike in Iraq on January 3, 2020. Then-US President Donald Trump said he ordered the drone strike in response to a series of attacks on US bases in Iraq.
Crowds of people made pilgrimages to the grave
Soleimani is revered as a martyr by government supporters loyal to the system. Today, crowds of people continued to make pilgrimages through Kerman’s streets to Soleimani’s grave site. There was mass panic at his funeral. At least 56 people died and more than 200 were injured.
On the occasion of the anniversary of Soleimani’s death, the Secretary General of the Lebanese Shiite organization Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, wants to give a speech in the evening. Against the backdrop of the killing of a leader of the Islamist Hamas in Lebanon, the speech is eagerly awaited. There are concerns that the violent death of Saleh al-Aruri, deputy head of Hamas’ political bureau, could lead to a further escalation of the conflict with Israel. Hamas-allied Hezbollah, considered the Islamic Republic’s most important non-state ally, had vowed to retaliate.
Karin Senz, ARD Istanbul, tagesschau, January 3rd, 2024 2:21 p.m