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73 killed in twin blasts at Iranian general's grave

Last updated on: January 03, 2024 20:37 IST

As many as 73 people have been killed and 170 injured in twin blasts near the burial site of Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani in the Iranian city of Kerman on Wednesday in what officials called a terror attack, according to state media, as per CNN.

IMAGE: People stand near a man lying on the ground at the scene of explosions during a ceremony held to mark the death of late Iranian General Qassem Soleimani, in Kerman, on January 3, 2024. Photograph: Majid Asgaripour/West Asia News Agency via Reuters

The first explosion was 700 metres away from Soleimani's grave, and the second was a kilometre (0.6 miles) away as pilgrims visited the site, Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) said.

Soleimani was killed by a US airstrike ordered by former US President Donald Trump at Baghdad International Airport four years ago.

IRNA cited the Deputy Governor for Political and Security, saying it's unclear if the 'incident was caused by a gas explosion or a terrorist attack'.

Videos posted on Iranian state media showed large crowds running in the area after the explosion, as per CNN.

Soleimani was head of the Revolutionary Guards' Quds Force, an elite unit that handles Iran's overseas operations, and was deemed to be a foreign terrorist organisation by the US.

Source: ANI