Press TV: Between 35 to 50 civilians have lost their lives and 60 others sustained injuries when Daesh terrorists carried out suicide bombings and shooting attack near a holy Shia Muslim mausoleum north of the Iraqi capital.

Security sources said a terrorist blew himself up at the external gate of the mausoleum of Sayyid Muhammad bin Ali al-Hadi [son of 10th Imam of Shia Muslims] in the city of Balad, situated 80 kilometers (50 miles) north of Baghdad, late on Thursday.

Several terrorists then stormed into the holy site and started shooting at pilgrims. Another bomber also detonated his explosives in the middle of the crowd, who were celebrating Eid al-Fitr festivities, which mark the end of the holy Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, Reuters reported.

Security forces killed a third bomber and defused his explosives, the Iraqi Joint Operations Command said in a statement.
The aftermath of a terrorist attack at the external gate of the mausoleum of Sayyid Muhammad bin Ali al-Hadi in the Iraqi city of Balad

The Daesh later claimed responsibility for the act of terror.

[Photos :ENtrance of mausoleum of Sayyid Muhammad bin Ali al-Hadi in the Iraqi city of Balad on July 7, 2016. Photos receieved by WhatsApp]

The terrorists also fired several mortar rounds at the mausoleum during the attack.

The terrorist attack comes on the anniversary of attempted assassination on then President Saddam Hussein on 8 July 1982 in this sam area/village called Sabae Al Dujail. He wiped out AL Dujail after failed assassination.

[This is what Wikipedia reports on the incident: The Dujail Massacre refers to the events following an assassination attempt against the Iraqi president, Saddam Hussein, on 8 July 1982 in Dujail. Dujail, a town with a large Shiite population and up to 75,000 residents at the time of the incident is located 53 km (33 mi) from Baghdad in the predominantly Sunni Salaheddin province of Iraq.

Hundreds of men, women and children were detained after the failed assassination attempt on Hussein. More than 140 people were sentenced and executed for their alleged involvement in the plot including four people who were mistakenly killed during the executions. Hundreds more were sent into exile and their houses, farms and properties were demolished. Saddam Hussein was hanged on 30 December 2006 for crimes against humanity in connection with his involvement in the massacre. Many others, including Hussein’s brother, were also sentenced and executed for crimes against humanity.]

The development comes as the death toll from Sunday’s car bomb attacks in busy commercial areas of the capital has climbed to 292.

The United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq says a total of 662 Iraqis were killed and another 1,457 wounded in acts of terrorism, violence and armed conflict in June.

According to the UN mission, the number of civilian fatalities stood at 382. Violence also claimed the lives of 280 members of the Iraqi security forces. A great portion of the fatalities was recorded in Baghdad, where 236 civilians were killed.

The northern and western parts of Iraq have been plagued by gruesome violence ever since Daesh terrorists mounted an offensive in the country in June 2014.

[Photo: Entrance to Sayyid Muhammad bin Ali al-Hadi’s mausoleum. Photograph received by WhatsApp]

Additional reporting and editing by The Muslim News

http://presstv.com/Detail/2016/07/07/474090/Terror-attack-hits-holy-shrine-in-central-Iraq-Balad