Anniversary of the death of General Soleimani - State media report at least 73 dead in explosions in Iran
On the anniversary of the death of the powerful Iranian general Ghassem Soleimani, at least 73 people were killed in two explosions in his home town of Kerman. After initial reports of more than 20 and then 50 deaths, the death toll has risen again, according to state media. As the state news agency Irna reported on Wednesday, more than 170 people were also injured.
Explosions in Iran at memorial service for General Soleimani
The two explosions shook the southern city of Kerman, where the tomb is located in a mosque, a few minutes apart, according to television reports. A crowd of people was caught up in the explosions. According to the semi-state news agency Nournews, "several gas canisters exploded on the road to the cemetery". A local official was quoted in the media as saying that these were "terrorist attacks".
On Wednesday, Iran commemorated the fourth anniversary of Soleimani's death, who was killed by the US military in Iraq on January 3, 2020. Soleimani was killed in a drone strike near Baghdad ordered by then US President Donald Trump. The general commanded the Al-Quds Brigades, the branch of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards responsible for foreign missions, and was considered a hero of the Iran-Iraq war in his home country. Trump said at the time that he had ordered the drone strike in response to a series of attacks on US bases in Iraq.
Editor's note: This article will be updated on an ongoing basis.
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In the wake of commemorating the fourth anniversary of General Soleimani's death, who was a prominent figure in Iran and a hero of the Iran-Iraq war, two explosions occurred at a memorial service in his hometown of Kerman, reportedly causing several terrorist attacks and resulting in the unfortunate loss of at least 73 lives. The explosions took place near the mosque where Soleimani's tomb is located.
Source: www.stern.de
