By It seems almost everyday that I wake up to see another massacre of hundreds of innocent victims of what has become a war against humanity.
In the wake of the recent terror attacks in Turkey and Bangladesh, a bomb struck the capital city of Baghdad late Saturday night as crowds of people were gathering to eat, shop, and celebrate one of the last days of Ramadan with one another, and prepare for the upcoming Eid holiday.
A second bomb also exploded at about midnight in a predominantly Shia area north of the capital, killing another five people.
It seems almost everyday that I wake up to see another massacre of hundreds of innocent victims of what has become a war against humanity.
Fires continue to rage on at the bombing site, while hospitals are filled with hundreds of families waiting to be treated. The city of Baghdad has been left cluttered with collapsed & burned buildings, crushed cars, and desolate families scurrying around to find one another.
The death toll continues to rise with at least 200 killed, and over 200 among the wounded. Most of the victims of the attack were children who were celebrating the end of the school year with their families. The many who were with family and friends at nearby cafes to watch a European football game were also killed immediately by the explosion. Six policemen are also among the deceased.
Most of the victims of the attack were children who were celebrating the end of the school year with their families.
In the words of Karim Sami, a 35 year-old street vendor and father of three:
“It was like an earthquake. I wrapped up my goods and was heading home when I saw a fireball with a thunderous bombing. I was so scared to go back and started to make phone calls to my friends, but none answered.”
The terror and havoc the attack has provoked is immeasurable as families await for news of the whereabouts of their loved ones. According to the Associated Press, firefighters were “still working to extinguish the blazes and bodies were still being recovered from charred buildings.”
Residents of the city of Baghdad were not pleased when the Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar Al-Abadi came to visit the bombing site earlier this morning. The wild and angry locals were found to be throwing stones, glassware, shoes and rubble at the PM in recent videos, screaming “liar” as he walked through the streets.
The bombing may be a response to the recent victory of Iraqi forces over the city of Fallujah from the fighters of the Islamic State. The city of Fallujah lies 35 miles west of Baghdad and has been a controversial site in the country over the past couple of years. After being ruled by the Islamic State for the past 2 and a half years, the long-awaited recapture of the city is predicted to cause more terror attacks in Baghdad. The popularity of the PM is taking a down-turn once again as Iraq continues to wrestle with its security and future as a nation.
Although the PM has declared three days of mourning for the people, it is not long before the end of Ramadan arrives, and Eid brings new-found sadness to the hearts of the many families who have lost their loved ones.
We mourn the losses of these innocent people and our hearts lie with them and their families. <3