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Female suicide bomber kills 20 during pilgrimage in Iraq

An Iraqi soldier provides security as Shiite women arrive for a major religious festival in Karbala, Iraq, Thursday. The Shabaniyah festival marks the birth of Mohammed al-Mahdi. (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)
By Tina Susman Los Angeles Times
An Iraqi soldier provides security as Shiite women arrive for a major religious festival in Karbala, Iraq, Thursday. The Shabaniyah festival marks the birth of Mohammed al-Mahdi. (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)

BAGHDAD – A woman pretending to be a Shiite Muslim pilgrim en route to a religious festival blew herself up Thursday at a rest house catering to pilgrims and killed at least 20 other people, most of them women.

It was the worst of several attacks on Shiites walking to Karbala, 50 miles south of Baghdad, and it raised the specter of further bloodshed as the pilgrimage route becomes crowded before the event Saturday.

The bombing also was the latest in a series of attacks carried out by women. A 15-year-old girl blew herself up Monday in Baqouba, northeast of Baghdad, killing at least one Iraqi police officer. The U.S. military said there have been about 30 female suicide bombers so far this year, compared with seven last year.

Iraqi and U.S. officials say Sunni Arab insurgents are finding it more difficult to recruit men, so they are turning to women, who generally face less scrutiny by security officers.

The latest attack occurred at the Hitteen rest house in Iskandariyah, which is midway between Baghdad and Karbala and is a popular resting point for pilgrims. The Hitteen’s yard was crowded with tents erected by pilgrims stopping for a break, and the grass was covered with women cooking and children playing, said Hameed Rubaie, who passed by minutes before the blast.

Rubaie, who left his Baghdad home at 4 a.m. to walk to Karbala, said he heard a large explosion.

“Behind me there was a big fireball. I was able to see the bodies of women and children,” he said. “Everything was scattered on the roadside: pots thrown here and there, torn rugs. Blood was everywhere, and fire was consuming everything.”

Rubaie waited until police officers arrived and then continued on his way. “I had to leave,” he said. “My heart was broken.”

The attacker blew herself up amid the tents, said Ryad Gayim, who works at the rest house. He said the force of the explosion blew out windows in neighboring buildings and set tents afire.

At least 75 people were wounded. Police said the dead included 15 women.