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Suicide attack thwarted as Iraqi Shiites celebrate Ashura

While the history of al-Qaeda in Iraq and the Islamic State continue to haunt Iraq, the start of the annual Shiite religious mourning celebration was largely uneventful — though Diyala province remains problematic.

Shiite Muslims re-enact the Battle of Karbala.
Shiite Muslims re-enact the Battle of Karbala as they mark the peak of Ashura, a 10-day period commemorating the seventh century killing of Prophet Mohammed's grandson Imam Hussein, in Baghdad on Aug. 9, 2022. — AHMAD AL-RUBAYE/AFP via Getty Images

BAGHDAD — Concerns about possible attacks during the Shiite Muslim Ashura religious celebrations that began this week led to heightened security and concerns across both much of the Middle East and Afghanistan.

In the Iraqi capital, there were no reported attacks. In the Diyala province along the Iranian border, however, a suicide bomber who had been planning on attacking the Shiite celebrations reportedly blew himself up after being surrounded by security forces there.

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