Two suicide bombers targeted a Shia Muslim mosque in Baghdad on Tuesday June 18, 2013 one blowing himself up at a nearby checkpoint while the other slipped inside during prayers. The blasts killed more than 50 Shia Muslims and injured more than 100, Iraqi officials said.
Two police officers said the first bomber detonated his explosives at a security checkpoint near the mosque in Baghdad’s northern Qahira neighborhood in an apparent attempt to distract the authorities.
Amid the commotion, a second bomber slipped past concrete blast walls and into the mosque, where he blew himself up while worshippers were performing midday prayers, according to police officials.
Most of the casualties were among students from a nearby Imam al-Sadiq University for Islamic Studies. Police officials said the university’s Shia students usually perform their midday prayers in the mosque that was hit.
