2004 Erbil bombings

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2004 Erbil bombing
Part of Iraqi insurgency (2003–2006) in Iraqi insurgency (2003–2011)
1 Feb Memorial, Erbil.jpg
Memorial of 2004 Erbil bombing in Sami Abdulrahman Park
Location Erbil, Kurdistan Region
DateFebruary 1, 2004
TargetHeadquarters of PUK and KDP
Attack type
Suicide bombings
Deaths117
Injured133
PerpetratorsUnknown

The 2004 Erbil bombings was a double suicide attack on the offices of Iraqi Kurdish political parties in Erbil, Kurdistan Region on 1 February 2004. The attackers detonated explosives strapped to their bodies as hundreds gathered to celebrate Eid Al-Adha in Erbil. [1]

Contents

A former government minister, the deputy governor of Erbil Governorate and the city's police chief were among those killed at the offices of the Kurdistan Region's main political groups, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK). The attacks occurred as party leaders were receiving hundreds of visitors to mark the start of Eid.

The Al-Hayat newspaper speculated that the bombings may have been retribution for the capture of bin Laden's courier Hassan Ghul in The Kurdistan Region [2]

"We have no group that's claimed responsibility," Senor said, saying al Qaeda or Ansar al-Islam, a northern Iraq group with suspected al Qaeda ties, could be responsible. "It could be any number of groups attempting to operate inside Iraq." [3]

See also

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The 2005 Erbil bombing was a suicide attack on the offices of Kurdish political parties in Erbil, Kurdistan Region, on May 4, 2005. The attacker detonated explosives strapped to his body as people lined up outside a police recruiting center in Erbil. Ansar al-Sunna claimed responsibility. This attack is an example of religious terrorism, groups who commit terrorist acts because of religion believe that their deity or deities are on their side and that their violence is divinely inspired and approved. This attack is also an example of Strategic terrorism. Which is a form of terrorism where the terrorist plans to inflict mass casualties. The goals of Strategic terrorism are normally not local objectives but global objectives or regional objectives. Ansar al-Sunna's goal is to transform the country of Iraq into an Islamic state so their goals are regional.

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The 2021 Erbil rocket attacks occurred when multiple rockets were launched against Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region, Iraq. On 15 February, approximately fourteen rockets were fired from an area south of the city at around 21:30 local time. Three of the rockets directly hit the U.S.-led coalition base near Erbil International Airport, while the other rockets hit residential areas and civilian facilities near the airport. Two people were killed in the attack, and an additional 13 were injured, including an American service member.

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References

  1. Gettleman, Jeffrey; Wong, Edward (February 1, 2004). "Twin Bombings in Northern Iraq Kill at Least 56". The New York Times . Archived from the original on February 10, 2023. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  2. http://www.juancolebeta2.com/archives/2004/02/were_the_irbil_bombings_reveng.html [ dead link ]
  3. "CNN.com - Death toll climbs in Iraq suicide blasts - Feb. 2, 2004". edition.cnn.com. Archived from the original on 2023-03-07. Retrieved 2023-03-07.